§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the relationship of(a) the food advisory committee, (b) the veterinary products committee and (c) the advisory committee on pesticides to the committee on food safety.
§ Mr. RyderThe committee under the chairmanship of Sir Mark Richmond has been given the remit of advising me and my right hon. Friends on the microbiological safety of food. This committee will make recommendations as it sees fit on what further measures may be necessary to deal with food poisoning. We expect it to complete its work by mid-1990. The other three committees are permanent advisory committees with different terms of reference. There is therefore no formal relationship between them and Sir Mark Richmond's committee although the secretaries of the various committees will ensure that there is systematic contact on all matters of mutual interest.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the 301W relationship of (a) the food advisory committee, (h) the veterinary products committee and (c) the advisory committee on pesticides to the steering group on food surveillance.
§ Mr. RyderThe steering group on food surveillance (SGFS) is a Government advisory committee which monitors the nutritional value and safety of the United Kingdom food supply. Its primary function is to identify and evaluate potential problems and to propose practical solutions, and it carries this out via a system of 10 working parties covering all the major areas relevant to its work.
The food advisory committee (FAC) is an independent expert advisory committee which advises Ministers on the composition, labelling and advertising of food and on additives, contaminants and other substances that are, or may be, present in food or used in its preparation. The FAC is normally invited to comment on draft SGFS reports and may be asked to advise on any action required as a result of the findings of the SGFS.
The veterinary products committee (VPC), an independent committee of experts in both human and veterinary health established under section 4 of the Medicines Act 1968, advises the licensing authority on the licensing of veterinary medicines. The advisory committee on pesticides (ACP), which is also an independent statutory body, advises Ministers on approvals for pesticides.
The SGFS keeps in close touch with the FAC, VPC and ACP and also specifically monitors pesticide residues and veterinary residues in food via its working party on pesticide residues and its working party on veterinary residues in animal products.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the dates of meetings of the advisory committee on pesticides and the items discussed at each meeting over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderThe advisory committee on pesticides met eight times and discussed a number of applications for approval of new active ingredients, reviews of older pesticides and a wide variety of related questions. A report on its work in 1988 will be published later this year.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the dates of meetings of the veterinary products committee and the items discussed at each meeting over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIn the last 12 months the veterinary products committee met on the following dates:
- 23 June 1988
- 20–21 July 1988
- 21–22 September 1988
- 20 October 1988
- 17 November 1988
- 14 December 1988
- 19 January 1989
- 15–16 February 1989
- 15–16 March 1989
- 19–20 April 1989
- 17–18 May 1989
A summary of the VPC's discussions is contained within the "Annual Report for the Medicines Commission and Section 4 Committees", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The 1988 annual report is due to be published in the next few weeks and I shall ensure that a copy is made available in the Library.
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§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the products for which product licences were(a) granted and (h) refused by the veterinary products committee in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonProduct licences are granted by the licensing authority on the advice of the veterinary products committee. Details of all newly licensed products are published regularly in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes. It would be a breach of the commercially confidential nature of the veterinary products committee's discussions to list those applications where the committee was minded to advise the licensing authority that a licence ought not be granted.