Article in the Andover Advertiser 19th Jan

FLUORIDE: GET REAL! by Steve Dancey
The man who might be health secretary in a future Conservative government
has called for a referendum on water fluoridation.

Andrew Lansley described the public consultation carried out by South
Central Strategic Health Authority (SCSHA) into the controversial proposal
as "not real".
While the proposals do not encompass the Andover area, many worry that the
controversial material will be added to the water here if the south
Hampshire proposals are implemented after a judicial review.
The issue caused a furore in Andover in the 1950s when Andover Borough
Council added fluoride to the water.
Mr Lansley said: "A referendum is a simple way of giving the public a real
opportunity to make a decision about this. I think in Southampton and south
Hampshire the consultation was not real because effectively what happened
was that they (SCSHA) said 'We have looked at the evidence and we think we
should fluoridate the water'. "They (SCSHA) then had a consultation with
the public. About 75 per cent of the public said 'Actually we are against
this'. And they (SCSHA) said 'We know you said you are against it but we
have looked at the evidence and we think it's the right thing to do'. So
what was the point of the consultation?"
Liberal Democrat shadow health minister Sandra Gidley, who represents
Longparish, the Wallops and Stockbridge, welcomed the statement. She added
: "It is just a shame it has taken nearly a year for Tory party leadership
to make their opinion on a local referendum known."