HL Deb 16 July 1973 vol 344 cc929-32

2.45 p.m.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have, in the light of recent research which indicates that the current rate of consmption of confectionery is a primary cause of dental decay, for the education of parents and children.

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, the Health Education Council is responsible for the promotion of dental health education and has two research projects in hand. In schools, dental health education is the responsibility of the local education authority and individual teachers. The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Dental Officer of my Department have recently written to all Principal School Medical and Dental Officers giving advice, among other things, on the consumption of confectionery by schoolchildren.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that helpful reply, may I ask whether the Government accept that undue consumption of confectionery engenders caries among children, stimulated, so far as consumption is concerned, by television advertising? Secondly, is the noble Lord aware that in the last recorded figures there is evidence that this country's consumption of confectionery per head is well over I kilogramme a year more than its nearest competitor in that situation—West Germany?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I was not aware of the last statistic, but on the first point we agree that the consumption of damaging food such as biscuits, chocolates and sweets at midmorning or mid-afternoon is a cause of dental caries.

BARONESS BIRK

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the first four rules of dental health drawn up by the General Dental Council, the Oral Hygiene Service, the Ministry of Health, the British Dental Association, the Health Education Council, for teaching in schools and community is to eat nourishing meals and nothing sticky or sweet between them? Is it not then extraordinary that there should be no V.A.T. on confectionery and 10 per cent. V.A.T. on tooth brushes, tooth powder and tooth paste? As this is the case, does it not make a nonsense on spending money on health education while at the same time there is a tremendous financial incentive to eat sweets and not to use tooth brushes? Is the Minister aware that in the last survey undertaken by the Oral Hygiene Service it was discovered that over 50 per cent. of schoolchildren did not use a tooth brush?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I do not think there is any connection between sweets and tooth brushes. The fact that sweets are exempt from V.A.T. is unlikely significantly to increase consumption and therefore to increase dental decay.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, will the Minister accept the proposition that most of the responsibility lies with the parents and that if parents could be convinced that it is endangering their children's oral health to encourage the consumption of confectionery, much could be done and much could be saved in the way of the school dental service, which is in any case understaffed?

LORD ABERDARE

Yes, my Lords; this is well known to the Health Education Council and is one of the ways in which they are pursuing the subject.

LORD LEATHERLAND

My Lords, is the Minister aware that many of us who have little grand-daughters do not want to be kill-joys. Is there any possibility of remedying this situation by requiring manufacturers to put a small quantity of fluoride in their bars of chocolates, humbugs and gob-stoppers?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I am sure that interesting suggestion will be considered.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, would not my noble friend agree that, while it is extraordinary that there is no V.A.T. on sweets, it is even more extraordinary that we have V.A.T. on contraceptives when we are trying to keep the population under control?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I think we have discussed that subject fully in your Lordships' House.

BARONESS BIRK

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he really meant it when he said that he did not think there was any connection between the absence of V.A.T. on confectionery and its imposition on tooth brushes? Does he not think that this indicates an attitude towards health and towards children's teeth?

LORD ABERDARE

No, my Lords, I do not. I do not think that any child makes up its mind whether it should spend its money on sweets or tooth brushes.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, would the Minister consider issuing a Government health warning on all sweet packets?