HL Deb 13 January 1998 vol 584 cc191-3WA
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will identify those members of the following bodies who have declared financial or other links with industries related to their spheres of activity

  1. (a) Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances;
  2. (b) Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food;
  3. (c) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes;
  4. (d) Advisory Committee on Pesticides;
  5. (e) Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment;
  6. (f) Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Nutrition Policy;
  7. (g) Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment;
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  8. (h) Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants;
  9. (i) Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment;
  10. (j) Committee on the Safety of Medicines;
  11. (k) Food Advisory Committee; (1) Medical Research Council:
  12. (m) Medicines Commission;
  13. (n) Veterinary Products Committee.

Baroness Jay of Paddington

Financial or other links with industries related to their spheres of activity have been declared by members of the following bodies:

(a)The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances

The following members of this body have declared financial or other interests, either personal or non-personal, in the industries related to their sphere of activity:

  • Dr. Simon Allison;
  • Professor Ian Booth;
  • Dr. Ann Kobza Black;
  • Mrs. Anita MacDonald;
  • Professor Alan Shenlcin; and
  • Mr. Andrew Taylor.

(b) The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

This body publishes an annual report which includes details of the members' declarations of interests. A copy of the 1996 report is in the Library.

(c) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes

A complete list of the financial interests declared by members of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) is published each year in the Committee's annual report. Copies of these reports are available in the Library and are available free of charge from the ACNFP Secretariat.

(d) Advisory Committee on Pesticides

Members of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides are required to declare interests for publication in the Committee's annual report. Copies of this report are available in the Library.

(e), (h) and (i) Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment; Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants; and Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

Declarations of interests by members are published in the Annual Reports of these bodies, copies of which are available in the Library.

(f) Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

Register of members' commercial interests is published in the annual report of this body; copies will be placed in the Library.

(g) Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment

Dr. Gerald Draper has a non-personal interest, providing collaborative assistance to the National Grid.

(j), (m) and (n) Committee on the Safety of Medicines; Medicines Commission; and Veterinary Products Committee

All members of these bodies are required to declare any interests in the pharmaceutical industry. Declarations of interest are published in the Medicines Act 1968 Advisory Bodies annual reports. A copy of the 1996 annual report is available in the Library.

(k) Food Advisory Committee

The Food Advisory Committee (FAC) publishes details of members' interests, including financial or other links with industry, in its annual report. This publication is available free of charge from the FAC Secretariat, and copies are placed in the Library.

(L) Medical Research Council

Of the Medical Research Council's (MRC) 16 members for the 1997–98 session, the following have declared current financial or other links with industries related to their sphere of activity:

  • Professor J. I. Bell: member of Scientific Advisory Board for Oxford Molecular; Director of Powderject UK; Director of Oxagen; Director of Isis Innovation;
  • Professor L. K. Borysiewicz: consultant to Cantab Pharmaceuticals plc; consultant to SmithKline Beecham RIT (Belgium);
  • Professor A. Haines: member of the Medical Advisory Committee of World Care;
  • Professor E. Johnstone: consultant to SmithKline Beecham;
  • Professor G. K. Radda (Chief Executive): Director of UK Medical Ventures LP (note: UK Medical Ventures is a seed investment fund set up as a limited partnership to foster exploitation activities, and particularly the creation of 'spin-out' companies based on MRC-owned intellectual property);
  • Professor T. Robbins: consultant to Cenes plc; occasional consultant to Zeneca SmithKline Beecham, Pfizer and Unilever;
  • Dr. B. C. Ross: Director Group Research Strategy & Alliances, Glaxo Wellcome R & D: Board member, Affymetrix Inc (USA);
  • Dr. I. P. Sword: Director in Inveresk Research International Ltd.; Inveresk Clinical Research Ltd.; Caledonian Research Foundation Ltd.; Inveresk Property Services Ltd.; SGS (Holding) UK Ltd.; SGS (New Zealand) Ltd.; SGS (Australia) Ltd.; SGS-ICS Australia Pty; SGS Vietnam; Technology Project Services Ltd.; Lothian & Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd.; MRC Collaborative Centre; and MRC Collaborative Centre, Scotland Ltd.

All this information is included in the MRC's register of council and board members' declared interests, which is regularly updated by the individuals concerned.