§ Mrs. McCurleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take to enable water authorities in Scotland to add fluoride to the public water supply, following the judgment in the Court of Session in June 1983 by Lord Jauncey in the case against Strathclyde regional council.
§ Mr. YoungerI have given careful consideration, in consultation with my colleagues, to the conclusions reached by Lord Jauncey in his detailed opinion following this lengthy court case which lasted for 201 days.
Lord Jauncey considered that the addition of fluoride to the public water supply at a concentration of 1 part per million would be likely to reduce considerably the incidence of dental caries in the Strathclyde region and he concluded that there was no evidence that the addition of fluoride at such a concentration was harmful to health. But he took the view that Strathclyde regional council had no power to add fluoride to its water supply and no such power was included in its statutory duty under section 6(1) of the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 to provide a supply of wholesome water.
Fluoridation has been supported by successive Governments as a safe and effective public health measure 144W and we consider that Lord Jauncey's opinion amply demonstrates that the Government should continue to support fluoridation as a positive means to promote good dental health. It is therefore the Government's intention, when the parliamentary timetable permits, to bring forward legislation which will clarify the power of water authorities in Scotland to add fluoride to the water supply on the recommendation of the appropriate health board. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is making a separate announcement about the position in other parts of the United Kingdom.