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Written Answers
Tuesday, 13th April 1999.
Mozambique: Refugees
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What assistance they are giving to the resettlement of 300,000 stateless refugees from the Mozambique civil war, now that the South African Government has agreed to allow those who wish to remain in South Africa to do so.[HL1835]
Baroness Amos: We do not plan to provide assistance directly for the resettlement of refugees from Mozambique in South Africa. Our development programme aims to increase economic and human development opportunities for all disadvantaged people in South Africa.
Kosovo: Refugees of Albanian Origin
The Marquess of Ailesbury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the percentage of refugees from Kosovo currently entering Albania who were born in Albania.[HL1833]
Baroness Amos: I regret we have no reliable information on which to attempt such an estimate.
Sudan
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made in preparing a country strategy paper with regard to business in Sudan.[HL1806]
Baroness Amos: Country strategy papers are only prepared for countries where we provide development assistance. We do not have a development assistance programme with Sudan. We do provide large amounts of humanitarian aid which is required as a result of the devastation caused by the continuing war.
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many students from Sudan were in receipt of Department for International Development awards to study in Britain annually since 1989.[HL1807]
Baroness Amos: The following table shows the number of Sudanese who studied in the UK on technical co-operation training awards funded by the Overseas Development Administration (DFID's predecessor) since 1989:
| Financial Year | Trainees |
| 1989-90 | 151 |
| 1990-91 | 72 |
| 1991-92 | 2 |
Britain's development assistance programme to Sudan was closed in January 1991. No new awards have been made since then. Awards have been made to Sudan under Chevening, an FCO scheme.
Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Amos: Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) did not produce such a report. There were a number of briefings, which we will place under a single cover in the Library of the House. MSF's concerns about food diversion in Ajeip reflect our own. We have taken them up at the highest level with the UN and continue to press for action to improve targeting of food aid and stop diversions.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman): The estimated additional cost to the insurance industry of the introduction of the new scheme of collecting National Health Service charges following road traffic accidents is between £97 million and £137 million in England.
Based on figures published by the Association of British Insurers, which show the total amount spent on insurance premiums in the United Kingdom to be £7.5 billion per year, this sum represents around
2 per cent. of the total costs paid by motorists for insurance.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Hayman: In the United Kingdom most vitamins and minerals are sold under food law and have not been assessed for any potential contribution in preventing heart disease, cancer and other serious conditions. No vitamin or mineral has been licensed as a medicine for these indications.
The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) recommends the avoidance of beta carotene as a means of protecting against cancer. COMA also recommends the need to exercise caution in the use of high doses of purified supplements of other micro-nutrients, as they cannot be assumed to be without risk.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Hayman: We have no plans to do so.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Hayman: We have not made a detailed assessment of the effectiveness of legislation regulating dietary supplements and herbal remedies in other countries. We have asked the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) to examine options for moving towards regulatory arrangements for herbal medicines which provide better protection and information for the public while continuing to allow responsible businesses and practitioners to operate effectively. We are aware that a range of approaches to the regulation of herbal medicines has been taken in other countries, both within and beyond the European Union. The MCA will welcome views on the effectiveness of these various regimes. United Kingdom medicines law operates within a European framework. Accordingly we will need to develop a position which is realistically achievable within the European Union.
Earl Kitchener asked Her Majesty's Government:
(b) why the Commission have not made their proposals publicly available.[HL1892]
What is their assessment of the recent report by Medecins Sans Frontieres criticising Operation Lifeline Sudan procedures and their resultant diversion of food aid by combatants in southern Sudan; and whether they will place a copy of this report in the Library of the House.[HL1804]
What is their estimate of the extra annual cost to motor vehicle insurers of the Road Traffic (NHS) Charges Act; and what percentage that represents of the total cost of premiums paid by motorists for insurance.[HL1883]
What assessment they have made of the potential contribution of vitamin and mineral supplementation in prevention of heart disease, cancer and other serious conditions.[HL1849]
Whether they will establish a commission to consider the future regulation of vitamin and mineral supplements, herbal remedies and other alternative and complementary therapies.[HL1851]
What consideration they have given to the effectiveness of legislation for the regulation of dietary supplements and herbal remedies in other countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia; and what was the outcome of the consideration.[HL1850]
(a) what are the nature and scope of the proposed forthcoming recommendations from the European Commission for possible amendments to European Union Directive 75/318 in relation to herbal remedies; and
13 Apr 1999 : Column WA108
Baroness Hayman: We have received initial proposals from the European Commission for a directive which would amend the Annex to the Directive 75/318 EEC. The proposed directive seeks to clarify the data on safety and efficacy which companies are required to provide when seeking a marketing authorisation for "well established medicinal products". Our current assessment is that any direct impact on herbal medicines in the United Kingdom is likely to be relatively limited. In particular, the draft directive would not change the definition of which products are classified as medicines; neither would the proposals directly affect herbal medicines exempt from the requirement for a product licence under the terms of Section 12 of the 1968 Medicines Act.
We understand that, if the Commission decides to carry the proposals forward, it will consider the need for an appropriate period of consultation.
Earl Kitchener asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What policy principles determine their approach to the regulation of herbal remedies:
(a) in the United Kingdom; and
(b) in Europe.[HL1893]
Baroness Hayman: We fully share the view, which was put to us in March by a cross-section of organisations working in the natural health sector, that the current regulatory arrangements for herbal medicines in the United Kingdom have significant weaknesses and require review. There are currently two contrasting routes to the market for herbal medicines. Licensed herbal medicines have to meet rigorous standards of safety, quality and efficacy. Unlicensed herbal remedies in the UK do not have to meet any specific standards for safety, quality of efficacy. The regime for unlicensed medicines does not give systematic protection to the public against low quality and unsafe unlicensed herbal remedies which are known to reach the UK market. Nor does it permit manufacturers legally to give written information to consumers about the intended use of the product. In contrast, elements of the regime for licensed medicines--particularly some of the efficacy requirements--are difficult for responsible companies to satisfy in relation to herbal medicines.
Our overall objective is that the public should have access to a wide range of safe, high quality herbal remedies with appropriate information about the use of the product. We believe that there is a need to work towards arrangements which provide better protection and information for the public while continuing to allow responsible businesses and practitioners to operate effectively.
We have asked the Medicines Control Agency to examine options for achieving our objectives for herbal medicines, consulting widely with interested organisations. Medicines law operates within a European framework. Accordingly we will need to develop a position which is realistically achievable within the European Union. We intend to participate actively and constructively in any ongoing EU
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