§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what account was taken of the degree of consensus amongst members of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy in respect of recommendations on levels of meat consumption in518W determining when to make his announcement on meat consumption; [16564]
(2) when the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy expert group agreed its recommendations relating to levels of meat consumption; [16562]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the version of the COMA report which he ordered to be pulped, together with a copy of the final report when published; [16566]
(4) if he will make public the areas of difference between the final report on cancer by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy and its predecessor version; [16574]
(5) if he will make a statement on the circumstances which caused the report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy on the development of cancer to be printed and then pulped; what was the cost to public funds; for what reasons his Department made a press statement about meat consumption on 24 September; and when he expects the final report to be published; [16565]
(6) what reasons he announced his recommendations on meat consumption ahead of the publication of the findings of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy's report on cancer. [16563]
§ Ms JowellIn 1993 the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) set up a Working Group on Diet and Cancer. The Working Group's report was submitted to COMA's main committee meeting on 29 April. It was accepted by COMA subsequent to the quantification of figures relating to the consumption of red meat and further clearance by COMA members.
On 19 September the Chief Medical Officer and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health were told that some members felt that they had not had adequate opportunity to discuss the final recommendation on the consumption of red and processed meat. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health therefore ordered that the report should not be published.
A COMA meeting was immediately convened by the Chief Medical Officer on 24 September. On 25 September, with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health issued a press release based on the advice on the recommended intake of red and processed meat which COMA had agreed at its meeting on 24 September.
Since then further amendments have been agreed by COMA and the Working Group. The Report now commands the support of all members of COMA and will be published shortly.
The detailed workings of COMA and its expert groups, including the development of the various drafts of the reports it produces, is a matter for the committee. As with all COMA reports, published copies are placed in the Library and we have no intention of departing from this procedure.
The cost of reprinting the report in its revised form is £10,000.
519WMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health's object throughout the whole of this incident has been to ensure that reports issued by COMA continue to command the full support of its members and the respect of the scientific community.