HC Deb 23 February 1998 vol 307 cc107-8W
Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations she has received from(a) senators in the United States of America and (b) other sources within the United States of America about barriers to free trade in the context of proposed new restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; what was the nature of these representations; and what response she has made. [26357]

Mrs. Roche

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has received a letter from US Senators Harkin and Hatch about the compatibility of proposed new controls on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements with international trade rules. My right hon. Friend replied, confirming that the Government are fully committed to meeting their World Trade Organisation (WTO) and European Community obligations which require that any national measures taken to protect human health must be non-discriminatory, proportionate to the risk posed and based on scientific evidence. My right hon. Friend has received no other representations from the US.