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Dept of Health

Answer

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Food Standards Agency and his Department plans to take (a) to promote to other European Member States and Commission officials the conclusions of the forthcoming report from his Ad Hoc Expert Advisory Group on Vitamins and Minerals, (b) to commence a dialogue with Commission officials and the EU Scientific Committee on Foods about the information requirements for dossiers submitted for consideration in relation to the safety of vitamins and minerals which have been on the market for many years and (c) to use interGovernmental contact with other EU Member States to pursue his objectives in relation to the interpretation of the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive. [60198] Ms Blears: The food standards agency (FSA) will circulate the draft report of the expert group on vitamins and minerals (EVM) to the commission and all EU Member States, and will contact key officials to discuss the implications of these findings as appropriate. At the request of industry the scientific committee for foods has issued guidance on the required content of safety dossiers supporting use of nutrient sources, and the commission has issued guidance on the procedures for submitting such dossiers. The Government considers the guidance to be helpful and does not intend to intervene. The FSA continues to take every opportunity to put the case to other European Union member states that Article 5 of the EU food supplements directive should not be used to restrict unnecessarily the range of food supplements available to consumes specific plans for further contacts will be drawn up as appropriate when detailed risk assessments are available for discussion.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

60198; 387 c548-9W;387 c549W

Session

2001-02

EC documents

Dir2002/46/EC

Subjects

Consumption Dietary supplements Food EU action Safety Vitamins Vitamin B6 EU Scientific Committee for Food

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk