§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the European Commission regarding the time period for submission of safety dossiers on nutrients to the EU scientific committee on foods; and if he will make a statement. [22350]
445W
§ Yvette CooperThe proposed European Union Directive on food supplements would require submission of dossiers supporting inclusion of additional nutrients and nutrient sources in the annexes to the Directive within 18 months of adoption.
§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the European Commission on how it intends to interpret Article 5 of the food supplements Directive; and if he will make a statement. [22352]
§ Yvette CooperArticle 5 of the proposed food supplements Directive would establish the approach to setting maximum limits for vitamins and minerals. The Food Standards Agency, which is negotiating this Directive on the Government's behalf, has discussed the interpretation of this Article with the European Commission on a number of occasions. The FSA is pressing for limits to be based on thorough scientific risk assessments.
§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the nutrients included in the annexes to the food supplements Directive; and if he will make a statement. [22351]
§ Yvette CooperThe annexes of the proposed European Union Directive on food supplements list nutrients and nutrient sources which can be used in these products; many substances used in food supplements on the United Kingdom market are not, however, included in the current lists. The Food Standards Agency, which is responsible
Headcount 1997 1998 1999 2000 Total NHS staff1 1,058,690 1,071,560 1,098,350 1,118,960 of which: Total NHS doctors 89,620 91,840 93,980 96,320 GMPs (excluding GP retainers)2,3 29,390 29,700 29,990 30,250 All HCHS medical and dental staff4 60,230 62,140 63,990 66,070 of which: Total NHS nurses5 435,960 440,640 450,600 460,010 HCHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 417,570 421,750 431,100 440,810 of which: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 300,470 304,560 310,140 316,750 Unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 116,430 116,580 119,680 123,850 GMS practice nurses 18,390 18,890 19,500 19,200 1This figure includes GP retainers 2 GP retainers were collected for the first time in the 1999 census, for comparability these have been excluded from GMPs 3.The 1999 figure excludes 972 GP retainers and the 2000 figure excludes 1,117 GP retainers 4 Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are also GPs working part-time in hospitals 5 Total includes unclassifiable nursine, midwifery and health visiting staff Notes:
1. National health service hospital and community health services and general medical and personal medical services: All NHS staff, including all doctors and nurses, as at 30 September each year
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
3. Figures exclude learners and agency staff
4. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts
5 General and Personal Medical Services data collected at 1 October 1997–99
Sources:
Department of Health medical and dental work force census
Department of Health non-medical work force census
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
446Wfor negotiating this Directive on the Government's behalf, has secured an amendment to the proposal which would allow individual member states, during a seven year transitional period, to allow sale of products containing substances which are not on the lists. The annexes would then be amended to include additional substances cleared by the EU scientific committee on foods.