Lymington Times - Government urged by MP to clarify fluoridation policy

Government urged by MP to clarify fluoridation policy
CLARITY has been demanded by New Forest East MP Julian Lewis over the government's position on a fluoridation plan affecting 8,000 people in Totton.
Although prime minister Gordon Brown and cabinet member John Denham have noted the need for public support before adding the chemical, Dr Lewis highlighted a House of Lords government spokeswoman who said "we support" the plan.
In the House of Commons, he called for a health minister to make a statement to explain the true position.
Fluoridation is meant to combat child tooth decay in the city and, if implemented, will affect 190,000 people in Southampton and surrounding areas. Totton will be included because of the layout of the pipes.
But opponents are fighting the plan in the High Court after it was approved last year by the South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA). They resent "forced medication" and have safety concerns about the chemical.
In his latest attack, Dr Lewis targeted a written statement by Baroness Thornton in the House of Lords when she highlighted "unacceptably high" figures from 2006-09 showing an average of 500 children a year in the city had decaying teeth removed.
A statistical fall over recent years was because data was now only recorded with parental consent, she said, which meant children in deprived areas who were more likely to have tooth decay were actually less likely to be counted.
But she added: "We continue to support South Central Strategic Health Authority's decision to fluoridate a large part of Southampton and parts of south-west Hampshire."
In response to Dr Lewis's call for an explanation of the government's position, the leader of the House of Commons, Harriet Harman, said she would ask the health secretary, Andy Burnham, to write to him.
As reported in the 'A&T, the SHA is fighting the anti-fluoride campaign on several fronts after it approved Southampton Primary Care Trust's proposals.
A complaint by Dr Lewis has also been made to the NHS ombudsman complaining that the SHA's consultation was "biased" and it ignored residents' opinions. A more recent bid to block fluoride under European Union law failed.