HC Deb 27 January 1998 vol 305 cc205-6W
Mr. Jack

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisations, companies, individuals, European or overseas ministers and representative bodies he has agreed to meet during the remainder of 1997–98; and when those meetings are scheduled to take place. [16349]

Dr. John Cunningham

My diary for the remainder of 1997–98 is, of necessity, incomplete and provisional. It would serve no purpose to provide details of meetings which might or might not take place.

Mr. Gill

To ask the Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many meetings with farmers' organisations that Ministers had agreed to address they have subsequently declined to attend since 1 May. [22665]

(c) riboflavin, (d) vitamin C, (e) vitamin D, (f) iron and (g) calcium; and if he will make a statement on the trend for these figures over the last 10 years. [24460]

Mr. Rooker

I have been asked to reply.

Recommended daily allowances have been replaced by reference nutrient intakes (RNI). The RNIs and their scientific basis are set out in the Department of Health Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy's 1991 report on dietary reference values.

If average intakes are at or above the RNI, the likelihood of deficiency in any group is small. Therefore, up to 50 per cent. of individuals in any group with adequate dietary intakes may consume less than the RNI. Table 1 gives information on the proportion of adults found in a survey in 1986–87 to have intakes below the RNI for the named nutrients. Vitamin D is not included in the table as there is no RNI for this nutrient in adults under 65 years of age.

expressed as a percentage of the relevant RNIs, are available from MAFF's National Food Survey (Table 2).

Dr. John Cunningham

It has been necessary for me and my Ministerial team to cancel 10 meetings with farmers' organisations since 1 May.