§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to require all food to bear full ingredient and nutritional labelling.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe Food Labelling Regulations 1984 implement European Community directive 79/112 and already require most pre-packaged foods to carry a list of ingredients. The exemptions are Community based, but I anticipate that the European Commission may make proposals to remove some of them such as for alcoholic drinks. I have issued guidelines to industry suggesting the information and format that should be given for the nutrition labelling of foods; I expect that the European Commission will make proposals for a Community regime in this area shortly.