Consumer Panel (Hansard, 8 March 1990)

§ 37. Mr. Brandon-Bravo
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his consumer panel will have its first meeting.

§ 42. Mr. Jim Marshall
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the operation of his consumer panel.

§ 70. Mr. Irvine
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that consumer opinion is fully taken into account in formulating future food safety policy.

§ Mr. Boswell
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent arrangements he has made to improve the representation of consumer interests towards his Department.

§ Mr. Gummer
Following my announcement of 2 November 1989 (Official Report, columns 317–18) we have established a consumer panel made up of ordinary consumers nominated by the main consumer bodies but appointed in an individual capacity. Its terms of reference are: To review matters relating to the implementation of food safety policies and to examine particular issues of concern to consumers".
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The first meeting of the panel will take place in London on 12 March 1990. The names of the members are:
Mr. Phillip Bell, Edinburgh

Mrs. Dorothy Craig, Newcastle upon Tyne

Mrs. Harriet Kimbell, Guildford

Mrs. Susan Leather, Exeter

Mr. Patrick McCoy, Armagh

Mr. Gareth Morgan, Llanfairpwll, Gwynedd

Mrs. Wilma Mulliner, Weymouth

Mrs. Susan Payne, Bromley

Mrs. Noelle Whamond, Newton Stewart
I expect the panel to lead to a useful dialogue between consumers and Ministers on food safety issues.
We also wish to initiate periodic meetings in which we can bring together the leaders of consumer groups to consider a wide range of complex policy issues going much wider than the food safety issues on which the consumer panel will be concentrating. I am therefore writing today to 15 consumer bodies inviting them to a meeting in the Ministry next month.
We expect that these arrangements will strengthen contacts and enable Ministers to hear a wide range of consumer views directly. They supplement the well-established arrangements for consulting consumer bodies on particular issues and listening to their views.