§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; and what discussions her Department has had with the commission.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is a subsidiary body of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. Membership is open to all member nations and associate members of the two organisations. The CAC aims to facilitate world food trade through agreed, harmonised standards with adequate protection for consumer health. CAC work is done through subsidiary committees which deal with particular commodities and general food issues, and through regional groupings for geographical areas.
This Department plays a full and active part in the Committee on Food Hygiene and is currently drafting a revised text on general principles of food hygiene for that committee.
The document "Introducing Codex Alimentarius" contains full details on the work of the CAC and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.