Earl Baldwin of Bewdleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will indicate the precise legislative powers under which they intend to bring forward orders to impose a ban on higher dose vitamin B6 supplements; what specific steps they took to consult with interested parties prior to the announcement of that ban; and whether they are satisfied that the ban is proportionate to the alleged danger to public health posed by such supplements; and
When they last met with representatives of (a) Consumers for Health Choice, (b) the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy, (c) the Council for Responsible Nutrition, (d) the National Association of Healthfood Stores, and (e) the Healthfood Manufacturers Association to discuss the ban on vitamin B6 supplements; and whether they will identify those among the above organisations which have supported the ban; and
What recent representations about the ban on higher dose vitamin B6 they have received from Dr. Derek Shrimpton or other Fellows of the Royal Society of Medicine; and whether any such representations supported or opposed the introduction of the ban.
53WA
§ Lord DonoughueThe Government have no intention of imposing a ban on higher dose vitamin B6 products. They have decided that the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law should be limited to a maximum of 10mg per daily dose. This limit will be introduced by regulations made under Section 16(1) of the Food Safety Act 1990. However, higher dose products licensed as medicines for the treatment of specific clinical conditions will continue to be available from pharmacies and on prescription.
The Government's decision to limit the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law was based on advice from two independent committees, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) and the Food Advisory Committee (FAC). In formulating this advice the Committees took account of information supplied and views expressed by organisations with an interest in the subject matter. The organisations were invited to submit to the COT data on the safety of vitamin B6 which was considered before the committee finalised its advice. Their views on the possibility of a voluntary limit of 10mg of vitamin B6 per daily dose were also sought by officials from this department as part of the FAC's consideration.
The Government were aware of the views that had been expressed by interested organisations when it considered the advice of the FAC. Its decision to accept that advice was announced on 4 July. On 23 July my honourable friends the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Public Health met with representatives of various organisations, including Consumers for Health Choice, the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the National Association of Healthfood Stores, and the Healthfood Manufacturers Association in order to listen to their concerns about the proposed limit. All of the organisations invited to the meeting had questioned the need for the proposed limit.
Dr. Derek Shrimpton was present at the meeting on 23 July. He also met with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food earlier on the same day. On both occasions he questioned the validity of the scientific evidence upon which the proposed limit is based.
Interested organisations who had not expressed any reservations about the proposed limit were not invited to the meeting on 23 July. However, my honourable friend the Minister of State has written to a number of those organisations, specifically the National Consumer Council, the Consumers' Association and the National Food Alliance, asking if they wished to make any comments.
The Government have every confidence in the ability of the COT and FAC and in the quality of their advice. They are also satisfied that the proposed limit on the level of vitamin B6 in supplements sold under food law is a proportionate response to the public health risk posed by high-dose vitamin B6 supplements.