§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the continued availability of herbal medicines; and if he will make a statement on the progress of European Community deliberations in respect of controls on herbal medicines.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThere are no new initiatives in Europe exclusively or explicitly affecting herbal medicines. There are currently under consideration European Community proposals which apply to all medicinal products, including herbal products, and which have implications for their wholesale distribution, legal status, labelling, advertising and future licensing. There are also proposals for a directive to regulate homoeopathic medicines.
None of these proposals implies any change to the general availability of herbal medicinal products, and none is planned.