§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to commission a second report from an impartial working group on those issues covered by the Denner report.
§ Mr. SoamesI have no plans to commission a second report on dietary supplements. The Denner report has been used as a basis for consultation and it allowed us to gather a wide range of views on the question of dietary supplements.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the purpose of the recent meeting between his officials and Mr. G. Latham and Mr. M. Hanssen of the Health Food 115W Manufacturers Association and at which the Denner report was discussed; what conclusions were reached at the meeting; what was agreed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesOfficials were asked to meet the President of the Health Food Manufacturers' Association, Mr. Hanssen, and the Chairman of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, Mr. Latham, to discuss a range of subjects of interest to these organisations. The meeting was essentially an exchange of information.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement setting out the procedure which he will adopt and the organisations which will be consulted in future on any proposal to restrict the availability of food supplements.
§ Mr. SoamesIt is MAFF policy to consult widely on all food safety matters. Our consultations on dietary supplements have involved over 160 organisations. However, the Government must retain the right to act immediately if necessary to protect consumers.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ensure that the House is made aware of any consultation process which he undertakes on food supplements and that right hon. and hon. Members have the opportunity to submit their views and those of their constituents prior to any decisions being taken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesA public announcement was made on 27 March 1991 that the report on the working group on dietary supplements and health foods had been published and that the next step would be a wide public consultation. Copies of the report were placed in the Library of the House together with a copy of a statement summarising the recommendations and the Government's proposed follow up action. This included details of a review of certain herbal ingredients by the Committee on Toxicity and the Food Advisory Committee.
On 2 March this year I announced to the House the action I had taken in respect of comfrey products—Official Report, column 79. The Government will continue to keep the House fully informed of developments in this area.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to seek to introduce a ban on substances mentioned in the Denner report in addition to comfrey; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what plans he has to restrict the availability of (a) fennel, (b) blue flag, (c) juniper oil, (d) lobelia, (e) uvaursi, (f) zanthxylum, (g) pokeroot, (h) berberis/ hydrastis, (i) berberis, (j) black cohose, (k) blue cohose, (1) bloodroot, (m) fumaria, (n) helonias, (o) hydrastis, (p) juniper, (q) kelp, (r) mugwort and (s) pennyroyal, or products containing extracts or concentrations of these foodstuffs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesI have no such plans. A review of the substances referred to in the Denner report which includes all those listed by the hon. Member is continuing. No decision has yet been taken on their continued availability.
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