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Written question asked by Baroness Cumberlege (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 June 2013, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 June 2013. It was answered by Earl Howe (Conservative) on Tuesday, 11 June 2013.

Bread and Flour Regulations 1998

Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on osteoporosis rates in England of the repeal of the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998.[HL605]

Answer

The Government asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to consider the implications of removal of the regulations on public health. The SACN concluded that removal of added calcium from flour would increase the proportion of the population with low intakes from 15% to 21% for girls; from 8% to 12% for boys; and from 6% to 9% for women aged 19 to 64 years. This could increase rates of osteoporosis but it is not possible to assess the precise impact since bone health is affected by other lifestyle factors.

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey demonstrates that a high proportion of girls and women already have low iron in the United Kingdom. The SACN concluded that removal of iron from wheat flour would increase the proportions with poor intake of iron from 44% to 50% for girls and from 22% to 25% for women aged 19 to 64 years.

The SACN conclusions have been utilised in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation on the Bread and Flour Regulations. This consultation ended in March and the department is working with Defra in considering the responses.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL605; 745 cc224-5WA
Session
2013-14
Subjects
Additives Osteoporosis Flour Bread
Legislation
Bread and Flour Regulations 1998
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk