§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department is carrying out, and what information he has gathered, regarding the effect on the health of people of fluorides in drinking water.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Department is not currently commissioning any research into the effects of fluoridated water on general health. The Government remain convinced that fluoridation at a concentration of one part per million—the level used in all United Kingdom fluoridation schemes—has no adverse effects upon health, and there is no medical evidence to challenge this view. Numerous studies undertaken in this country have, however, demonstrated that dental caries is reduced in fluoridated areas by as much as one third to one half compared to non-fluoridated areas.