Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Item 3 of the minutes of the meeting of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food and the Environment (COT) held on 30 June, relating to inaccurate representation of the Committee’s conclusions in official replies, what steps they plan to take to address the fact that COT believes "COT advice to Government ha[s] been repeatedly misrepresented in ministerial communications, including answers to Parliamentary questions"; and whether they plan to inform members of both Houses who receive those answers about their correspondence with COT on this issue.

The Department for Transport’s officials have held a meeting on 7 September 2015 with the Committee on Toxicology and Public Health England to discuss these concerns. All sides agreed constructive steps to ensure the Committee’s concerns are addressed. The Government plans to write to members of both Houses who have received correspondence or responses to Parliamentary Questions on the issue, with a full description of the Committee’s advice in the light of these discussions with the Committee on Toxicology. A copy of this letter will be placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.