§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Health Council on 4 December. [20003]
§ Ms JowellFollowing discussion, the Council reached a common position on a proposed Directive on tobacco advertising. The Council also reached political agreement on the Commission's proposal for a programme of Community action on rare diseases. The Council discussed the public health aspects of food safety. The Council agreed the text of a resolution following up the Commission's report on the state of women's health in the European Community. The Council also agreed conclusions of the European Union-United States Task Force on communicable disease, emphasising the importance of co-ordination between the activities of the Task Force and other appropriate bodies working on disease surveillance. The Council also took note of developments since its last discussion of Transmissible 459W Spongiform Encephalopathies and agreed to keep the subject under review. There was a brief discussion of the Commission's proposals for programmes of Community action on injury prevention and pollution-related diseases. Finally, the Council took note of a Commission proposal for a Recommendation on the suitability of blood and plasma donors and the screening of donated blood.