Dietary Supplements (Hansard, 28 July 1997)

§ Mr. Rooker

The Government's decision to limit the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law was based on advice from two independent committees, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment—COT—and the Food Advisory Committee. In formulating this advice, the committees took account of information 21W supplied and views expressed by organisations with an interest in the subject matter. The organisations were invited to submit data on the safety of vitamin B6 to the COT which were considered before the committee finalised its advice. Their views on the possibility of a voluntary limit of 10 mg of vitamin B6 per daily dose were sought by officials from this Department as part of the FAC's consideration.

The Government were aware of the views that had been expressed by interested organisations when we considered the advice of the FAC. Our decision to accept that advice was announced on 4 July. On 23 July, my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health and I met representatives of organisations who were unhappy with the proposed limit to listen to their concerns. I have also written to the National Consumer Council, the Consumers Association and the National Food Alliance, none of which had expressed reservations about the decision, to give them the opportunity to comment.

Further consultation with interested parties will take place once the regulations required to implement the proposed limit have been drafted. The European Commission and other member states of the European Union will be given an opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations at the same time.

The COT has already considered this issue twice: I have no plans to invite it to undertake a further review.