ASPARTAME APPROVAL

Early day motion 1299, tabled 19 December 2005 by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 42 members.

That this House expresses its deep concern about the findings of the European Ramazzini Foundation for Research on Cancer, showing a repeated incidence of malignant tumours in rodents through aspartame ingestion at usage levels lower than the acceptable daily intake for humans, set by American and European health regulators; notes that when licensed for use in the UK, the EU and the international community, a number of scientists responsible for assessing its safety have been shown to have direct or indirect links with the sweetener industry; further notes that when aspartame was approved in the UK in 1984 by the Committee on Toxicity, four of its members including its chairman, Professor Turner, had ties with the sweetener industry and one member in particular, Francis Roe, claimed to have commercial links to so many industries that his impartiality was guaranteed; recognises that the World Health Organisation's joint expert scientific committee also numbers several of its experts working as paid consultants to the sweetener industry; acknowledges that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) counts four of its 19 members with direct or indirect links to the sweetener industry; expresses deep concern that with the impending review of the Ramazzini study, a conflict of interest might stand in the way of the EFSA committee reaching a fair and impartial judgment about the safety of aspartame; and calls on members of the European Aspartame Review Panel who possess links to the sweetener industry to step aside whilst the review of the Ramazzini study takes place.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 17, Labour 13, Conservative 5, DUP 4, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.