§ 2.52 p.m.
§ Lord DOUGLAS of BARLOCHMy 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 whether they will prohibit the use of the yellow dye tartrazine (E.102) as a food additive.
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, the independent expert committees that advise us on the need to use food additives and their safety in use do not consider it is necessary to prohibit the use of this permitted colour in food.
§ Lord DOUGLAS of BARLOCHMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that recent research has shown that this dyestuff has, in human beings, adverse effects on the skin, the nasal passages, the lungs and the eyes, and that it is used in a wide variety of foods and in no less than 800 drugs? Is not this a matter of importance and urgency?
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, there is some evidence to suggest that some people are allergic to tartrazine. The independent expert committees that advise us on these matters are already considering the question of hypersensitivity and allergy as part of their full review of all food colours. Their present view is that there is no evidence that would justify banning the colour on that account.
§ Lord DOUGLAS of BARLOCHMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend to refer to proceedings of the French Academy of Medicine about one month ago?
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, I understand that a test was made in France where massive doses of tartrazine were fed to hospital patients. We are investigating this and whether it has any validity.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, may I ask the Chief Whip, as we have lost very little time on this Question, whether we might return to the previous Question?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOENo, my Lords.