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Aspartame
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in view of concern about the potential health impacts of the artificial sweetener aspartame, they will carry out research with a view to assessing whether (a) the product should be banned; or (b) serious health warnings should be issued.[HL1657]
Lord Warner: We are advised by the Food Standards Agency that there are no plans to ban aspartame or to put out health warnings concerning the use of this sweetener. Legislation on sweeteners and other food additives is harmonised throughout the European Union and all additives permitted for use such as aspartame have been regularly assessed for safety by the independent scientific committees that advise the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government.
At the request of the Food Standards Agency, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Food undertook a comprehensive review of the safety of aspartame in 2001. The committee concluded that there was no evidence to suggest a need to revise its previous risk assessment of the sweetener, which concluded that aspartame is safe for use in food.
Mobile Phones: Possible Health Effects
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Andrews on 12 May 2003 (WA 15–16), whether the Interphone study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer into the use of mobile phones has now reported; and, if not, when they expect it to do so.[HL1658]
Lord Warner: The Interphone study, set up by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, to investigate the relationship between cancer risk and mobile phone use is expected to produce its first results at the end of 2004. Information about the study can be found on the website www.iarc.fr/pageroot/UNITS/RCA4.html Copies have also been placed in the Library.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Given that they subscribe to the World Health Organisation (WHO) redesignation of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) as a neurological illness under the title ICD10 G93.3 and that the WHO lists no such illness as ME, whether the Government will cease to use the title ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.[HL1684]
Lord Warner: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is an internationally recognised term for this condition and is used and understood by both clinicians and patients. The US Department of Health and Human Sciences Centres for Disease Control and Prevention adopted the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1988.
There is much medical literature tied to the current name, and a change of name should wait at least until an accepted biological marker is found. Until a new name for this illness is agreed internationally we will have to continue to use Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to describe it. —clean
Osteoporosis
Lord Colwyn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guidance on osteoporosis will be published and implemented; and what support they are giving to the National Health Service in developing osteoporosis aspects of the National Service Framework for Older People.[HL1729]
Lord Warner: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is carrying out two appraisals on the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. The anticipated publication date of these two appraisals has yet to be determined by NICE. A clinical guideline is also in preparation on the assessment of fracture risk and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk. The anticipated publication date for this guidance is June 2005.
The National Health Service is expected to take due account of NICE guidance from its date of publication. For most technology appraisals where NICE recommends the use of a particular intervention, the NHS is required to make funding available within three months of the date of publication.
Meeting the needs of people with osteoporosis is an important objective of the integrated falls services that the National Service Framework for Older People requires to be in place locally by April 2005. Support for local development includes development and shared learning from the National Primary Care Team's Falls and Healthy Communities Collaborative
sites, published advice and workshops to support local commissioning of falls services, and joint funding with Help the Aged to publish examples of falls prevention services.Fishing Industry
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In 2002 what were the values of payments from the European Union budget to the British fishing industry (both seagoing and offshore support services and fishing produce processing) through the following programmes:
(a) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Guarantee;
(b) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Guidance;
(c) European Regional Development Fund;
(d) European Social Fund; and
(e) other European Union programmes.[HL1588]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Payments from the EU budget to the British fishing industry in 2002 were as follows:
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Whitty: Work has started on the design of the application form for the single farm payment scheme. This cannot be completed until the detailed implementation regulations are agreed and decisions taken on areas of national discretion. The Rural Payments Agency is planning to consult stakeholders on the design of the form and scheme literature in due course.
£ (million) euros (million)
European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guarantee 0.9 1.3
European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guidance 0 0
European Regional Development Fund 0 0
European Social Fund 0.2 0.4
Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (the European fisheries fund) 14.5 23.3
When the Rural Payments Agency plans to produce a draft application form for the new style common agricultural policy claims; and whether it proposes to consult potential claimants on its suitability.[HL1725]
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