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Dietary Supplements: Channel Islands

Volume 462: debated on Tuesday 10 July 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to assist the governments of Jersey and Guernsey in the implementation of the European Union legislation relating to food supplements, nutrition and health claims made on food and the current medicine directives. (147532)

The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, the Food Supplements Directive and the Medicines Directive remove barriers to the free movement of goods within the European Union by regulating content, sale and labelling of products. Jersey and Guernsey are not part of the European Union (EU), instead they have a relationship with the EU provided by Protocol 3 of the United Kingdom’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community. Discussions on exactly how the requirements of these Directives apply to the Channel Islands are continuing between the UK and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is supporting the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in their communications with the Channel Islands over these directives, and has had correspondence with the Chief Executive of Guernsey on this issue. The MHRA will give advice and assistance as requested by the Bailiwicks to implement Medicines Directives. The FSA will give advice and assistance as requested by the Bailiwicks to implement the Food Supplements Directive and the Nutritional and Health Claims Directive.

The FSA, MHRA and MoJ have met with the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association to discuss issues relating to the trade in food supplements and unlicensed medicinal products via the Channel Islands. Further information has been requested from the industry association to assist in discussions with the island governments.

The MHRA’s response to the consultation by the Bailiwick of Guernsey on its draft medicines legislation said that the proposed legislation did not implement the Medicines Directive; it offered assistance to the Bailiwick of Guernsey in implementing the Directive and asked for the Bailiwick’s proposed timescale.