§ Sir Bernard BraineTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the light of the known connection between diet and health and its particular relevance to coronary heart disease, the Government will invoke their right under the relevant provisions for safeguarding public health, as laid down in article 36 of the treaty of Rome, to introduce mandatory labelling of foodstuffs to show the saturated fat, sugar, fibre and salt content, as recommended by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe EC food labelling directive (79/112) has harmonised within the Community the information that may be required to appear on food labels and to that extent therefore article 36 of the treaty of Rome is not available to member states to act unilaterally. 733W We are discussing with the EC Commission a way forward within the framework of the Community rules for the introduction of fat labelling regulations only, which follows the recommendations of the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Meanwhile, guidelines published in July 1987 by me provide a standard format for nutrition labelling of foods. This format is intended to be the basis for legislation when we have experience of its uptake by industry and EC intentions in the area of nutrition labelling are clearer.