§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give details of the legislation (together with any legal opinion they have taken) which obliges Ministers to accept and to act upon any advice given to them by any of the statutory advisory committees; in particular, those relating to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department of Health. [HL2628]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)Detailed rules for the national authorisation of human and veterinary medicines and pesticides are set out in UK and EU legislation. The relevant Ministers take authorisation decisions based on the advice of statutory scientific advisory committees (the Veterinary Products Committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides). The remit and procedures of these committees have been reviewed by the Official Group on OPs. The group's conclusions, which include the extent to which the precautionary principle may be applied, are set out in Chapter 6 of its report, which was published on 25 June, and subsequent study of the issue has confirmed the position. Copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.