asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the European Commission anticipates bringing forward figures for the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and [HL405]
Who is representing the United Kingdom in the European working group discussions on the process of setting the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and [HL406]
What discussions they are holding with other European Union member state Governments on the issue of permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements other than as part of the working group meetings; and [HL407]
When Ministers last met the European Commissioner to discuss the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and [HL408]
What were the conclusions of the Food Standards Agency and Better Regulation Executive assessment of the regulatory impact on (a) specialist manufacturers of food supplements, (b) specialist retailers and (c) other businesses of the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; and what plans they have to compensate small and medium-sized enterprises that suffer adversely as a result of the directive; and [HL409]
What further actions they anticipate being taken by the Food Standards Agency and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in relation to the trade in food supplements and herbal medicines from the Channel Islands. [HL410]
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food supplements issues and is representing the United Kingdom in working group discussions relating to the EC food supplements directive.
The European Commission has indicated its intention to produce proposals for setting maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements in the form of draft amending legislation to go forward to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health for consideration in early 2009.
I am advised by the FSA that there have been no meetings between its officials and their counterparts of other member states aside from those during, and in the margins of, the first working group meeting held on 24 September, and that no such meetings have been arranged. No recent meetings have been held between health Ministers and the European Commissioner concerning setting maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the directive.
The FSA is continuing its work on determining the potential economic impact of setting maximum levels to support future negotiations. In the absence of proposals from the Commission, a range of possible options is being considered. Until proposals are received and this work completed, the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises of setting levels is unknown. I cannot, therefore, comment on the matter of compensation.
The FSA has written to the Governments of Jersey and Guernsey suggesting a collective meeting where the application of the EC Food Supplements Directive and the associated implications for trade will be discussed, and it is awaiting replies to this correspondence.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has begun discussions about the implementation of the traditional herbal medicinal products directive, as part of discussions on the implementation of the Pharmaceutical Directive, with the Government of Guernsey and wrote on 28 June 2007 to the Government of Jersey to open similar discussions. The discussions with Guernsey are ongoing.