§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the impact on employment in the(a) research and development, (b) manufacturing, (c) wholesale and (d) retail sectors of the European Food Supplement Directive and the proposed European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products; and if he will make a statement. [75812]
§ Ms BlearsI have been asked to reply.
The Food Supplements Directive is likely to have a positive impact upon employment in the research and development sector. The Directive demands that the safety of concentrated sources of vitamins and minerals used as ingredients in food supplements be approved by the European Union Scientific Committee on Food before use, and is therefore likely to encourage related research.
In the short-term the EU Food Supplements Directive is unlikely to have any effect upon employment in the manufacturing, wholesale or retail sectors. In the longer-term, the impact of the Directive will largely depend upon progress in adding vitamin and minerals and their sources to the lists of permitted nutrients in the Directive and upon developments in the setting of maximum limits for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The Food Standards Agency is arguing the case for these maximum limits to be based on thorough scientific risk assessments so that there is no unnecessary restriction on the range of products that can be marketed.
The possible impact of the proposed Directive on traditional herbal medicinal products on employment in the research and development sector is difficult to predict. Under the current regime in the United Kingdom for unlicensed herbal remedies it will not normally be clear to the purchaser of a remedy whether that remedy is brought to the market on the basis of evidence of efficacy of the product, of traditional usage, or some other factor. The proposed Directive should, over time, bring greater clarity to the market on this issue, which may be beneficial to the prospects for research and development.
The proposed Directive potentially could have positive consequences for employment in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors. The proposals would require traditional herbal remedies to meet standards as to quality, safety and product information, areas in which the current regime for unlicensed herbal remedies has significant weaknesses. More effective regulation, which would follow if there is a successful outcome to the negotiations, potentially could enhance the status and recognition of traditional herbal remedies. This in turn could help to maintain and increase public confidence and ultimately lead to an expansion in the sector. The Medicines Control Agency's aim in the continuing negotiations, and in the implementation of the Directive if it is agreed, will be to ensure that the regulation is proportionate.
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