2000 JOINT ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITTEES ON TOXICITY, MUTAGENICITY AND CARCINOGENICITY

JOINT COT, COC, COM PRESS RELEASE

Thursday 8 November 2001

Sir John Krebs, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency and Professor Liam Donaldson, the Government's Chief Medical Officer, today welcomed the publication of the tenth Joint Annual Report of the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment.

In welcoming the publication of the report Sir John said:

" In providing expert scientific advice to Government, these three independent Committees have made an invaluable contribution to the development of health and food safety policy in the UK. As Chairman of the Agency, I look forward to their continuing support in the coming years".

Professor Donaldson added:

" I support the comments made by Sir John. This is the first year that the Committees have reported to both the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency and the report clearly indicates the importance of their work to both food safety policy and public health in general. I am grateful for the authoritative advice they provide on the health effects of chemicals"

The report outlines the work undertaken by the three Committees during 2000 and the conclusions reached. It also contains the Statements issued by the Committees, information concerning their membership and details of members’ commercial interests.

Notes to Editors 1. In line with the Government's policy of making the work of these Committees more readily available to the scientific community, academia and the public, the report has been made a free publication and will also be available on the Internet. Copies of the report are available from:

COT Secretariat

Tel : 020 7276 8522

Fax: 020 7276 8513

Email : Keith.Butler@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

The three Committees are expert advisory committees (first set up in 1978) whose members are appointed jointly by the Chief Medical Officer and the Chairman of the Food Standards Agency.
Further information about the work of the COT can be obtained from:-

COT Secretariat

Tel : 020 7276 8522

Fax: 020 7276 8513

Email : Keith.Butler@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Further information about the work of the COC/COM can be obtained from:

COC/COM Secretariat

Tel: 020 7972 5020

Fax: 020 7972 5134

Email: Khandu.Mistry@doh.gsi.gov.uk