§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to restrict the availability of herbs and herbal ingredients; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesI have no plans at present to restrict the availability of herbs and herbal ingredients used as foods.
§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Minister, of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list all those organisations from which she has recently received representations calling for restrictions on the availability of herbs and herbal ingredients.
§ Mr. SoamesWe have received no such representations.
§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans she has(a) to extend the current voluntary ban on comfrey and comfrey products to other herbs and herbal ingredients or (b) to introduce a compulsory ban on any such herb; and if she will make a statement;
(2) if the review of herbs from which medicinal licences have been withdrawn by the Department of Health but are still on sale as foods has now been completed; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesI have no plans either to alter or to extend the action that we have already taken on comfrey. The review of other herbal substances by the independent expert committees that advise the Government on food safety issues has been completed—and the conclusion that there were no problems requiring action was announced in the September edition of the Food Safety Directorate bulletin.