HL Deb 20 December 2000 vol 620 cc55-6WA
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to promote within Europe initiatives to improve labelling information for consumers of health food products; and whether they expect such initiatives to permit more accurate and comprehensive information about the contribution of some of these products to the promotion of well-being and the reduction of the risk of ill-health; and [HL131]

Whether they expect the work of the Food Standards Agency in reviewing food labelling to lead to proposals that allow consumers to have access to accurate and comprehensive information about the contribution of some food products to the reduction of the risk of ill-health. [HL132]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath):

The Food Standards Agency is pressing the European Commission to include disease risk reduction claims in its proposals for legislation on health claims, and to introduce an effective and practical system at European Union level for the verification and approval of such claims.