Questions
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what meaning they attribute to the statement by Lord Warner on 8 March 2005 during the debate on the Water Fluoridation (Consultation) (England) Regulations 2005 that “fluoridation schemes would only be introduced where the local population were in favour” (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 706)[HL4017]
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 May (WA 253–4), whether the finding from the telephone survey that “those who say they know a great deal or fair amount about the subject are more likely than those with minimal knowledge to oppose fluoridation in their area” should be taken into account in assessing the “extent of support for the proposal” under the Water Fluoridation (Consultation) (England) Regulations 2005. [HL4019]
Under Regulation 5 of the Water Fluoridation (Consultation) (England) Regulations 2005, a strategic health authority considering the outcome of a consultation on water fluoridation is required to take into account both the extent of support for the proposal and the cogency of the arguments advanced. In so doing, the Authority has to be satisfied that the health arguments in favour of proceeding with the proposal outweigh all arguments against proceeding with it before it takes any steps regarding fluoridation arrangements. No clear association has been found between fluoridation and cancer or any other risk to systemic health. Lord Warner's commitment was made in the context of this regulation.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 May (WA 253–4) and 20 May (WA 323–4), whether opposition expressed by members of the public to a health measure that will affect them, based on the grounds that scientific findings about possible risks of cancer and other harms have been mixed, should be taken into account. [HL4018]
Opposition expressed by members of the public should be taken into account. However, account also needs to be taken of the fact that no clear association has been found between fluoridation and cancer or any other risk to systemic health.