§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information has been given to the British embassies in each of the Member and Candidate States of the European Union about the practical implications for the UK health food sector of the provisions of the Food Supplements Directive; what action each embassy has been instructed to undertake to support the achievement of UK policy objectives in relation to the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements; and if he will make a statement. [144873]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Food Supplements Directive 2002 lays out a framework for the future setting of the maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements. Following this, the European Commission has to make a proposal listing EU maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. It has not yet done so and we do not expect it to do so for another 2–3 years.
The UK continues to press its view—with the Commission and our EU partners—that maximum levels should be set on a safety basis. Our overseas posts have been kept informed of the follow-up to the Directive and have been asked to echo our general line with their own contacts.