To ask the Secretary of State for Health

(1) when (a) he and (b) officials of the Food Standards Agency last met counterparts from each of the other member states of the European Union to discuss the Government's objectives for 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 the outcome of each of those meetings was;

(2) when the Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency last met officials of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Affairs to discuss the Government's objectives for the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; whom he met; and what the outcome of that meeting was;

(3) how many representations he has received from (a) right hon. and hon. Members and (b) others on the process of setting maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive in 2008.

No recent meetings have been held between Health Ministers and their counterparts in other member states on setting maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.

Food Standards Agency (FSA) officials met their counterparts from other member states at a European Commission working group meeting to discuss this issue on 27 June 2008. A summary of the meeting will be made available on the Food Standards Agency's website.

We have been advised by the FSA that their officials are planning a series of bilateral meetings to discuss the setting of maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in the near future.

No meetings have been held between the FSA's chief executive and officials of the European Commission's directorate-general for health and consumer protection specifically to discuss setting maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.

In 2008, Health Ministers have received 24 written representations on setting maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements from right hon. and hon. Members and peers and five from others.