(2) what conclusions the Food Standards Agency has reached in relation to the implications for consumer choice following their recent consultation on the Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Food Supplements Directive;
(3) what her Department’s objectives are with regard to the promotion of the interests of the specialist natural health product manufacturing and exporting sectors; what (a) meetings have been held and (b) other steps taken by officials and Ministers in her Department in relation to the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and foods under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; and if she will make a statement.
A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was carried out in 2002 on the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive, and this included input from the specialist manufacturing sector and the specialist health food retail sector.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently carried out an informal consultation on an initial RIA that sets out the current position in the United Kingdom with respect to food supplements and seeks information from stakeholders to measure the potential impact in advance of future European Commission (EC) proposals for setting daily dosage levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The information will be used to inform the draft RIA, which will then be subject to a formal consultation process. Conclusions will not be available until the end of the formal consultation process.
The Government’s objectives with regard to promotion of the interests of the specialist natural health product manufacturing and exporting sectors are to ensure that consumer choice and protection are maintained.
I met with the specialist manufacturing and health food retail sectors in March 2007, and have written to and met with the director of DG SANCO at the EC in relation to the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive. Officials have previously held meetings with their European counterparts, including a meeting with German officials in March.