House of Commons Health Select Committee

A Select committee is one that is set up by the House of Commons or Lords, usually for a whole Parliament, to look at particular subjects. In the House of Commons the select committees examine the expenditure, administration and policy of each of the main government departments and associated public bodies. Select committees have the power to take evidence and issue reports

In 2003-2004 a Health select committee was established to undertake an inquiry into obesity.

The MPs sitting on the committee at that time were:

• David Hinchliffe MP (Labour, Wakefield) (Chairman)
• David Amess MP (Conservative, Southend West)Patron of The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust
• John Austin MP (Labour, Erith and Thamesmead) Patron of The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust
• Keith Bradley MP (Labour, Manchester Withington)
• Simon Burns MP (Conservative, Chelmsford West)
• Paul Burstow MP (Liberal Democrat, Sutton and Cheam)
• Jim Dowd MP (Labour, Lewisham West) Patron ofThe Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust
• Jon Owen Jones MP (Labour, Cardiff Central)
• Siobhain McDonagh MP (Labour, Mitcham and Morden)
• Dr Doug Naysmith MP (Labour, Bristol North West)
• Dr Richard Taylor MP (Independent, Wyre Forest)
• Andy Burnham MP (Labour, Leigh)
• Julia Drown MP (Labour, South Swindon)
• Sandra Gidley MP (Liberal Democrat, Romsey) Patron of The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust

The special advisors to the inquiry on obesity were:

• Dr Laurel Devina Edmunds,

Senior Researcher for the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, University of Bristol. Director of The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust

• Professor Ken Fox, Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Bristol.

Scientific Governor and Trustee of the British Nutrition Foundation. Member of Department of Health Scientific Advisory Panel for Social Marketing in Childhood Obesity Project, 2006-7. Senior Scientific Editor of the recent Chief Medical Officer's first report on physical activity and public health. Served for 12 years on the Association for the Study of Obesity Executive Committee. Served on the Foresight Scientific Advisory Panel for Obesity

• Professor Gerard Hastings, Director, Centre for Social Marketing and Centre for Tobacco Control Research, University of Strathclyde
• Professor Philip James, Director of the Rowett Research Institute Aberdeen.

Chair of the International Obesity Taskforce Prior to the 1997 General Election in the UK, the Labour Party had proposed that a new structure should be developed for the control of food safety and the title “Food Standards Agency “ was used for this concept. On the 7th March 1997, the Tony Blair asked Professor Philip James to propose the structure and function of a Food Standards Agency. His interim proposals were completed on the 30th April 1997 and were presented to the new Prime Minister on the 8th May Professor James was involved in the situation with Dr Arpad Pusztai where it was claimed he "gagged" Dr Pusztai over controversial research into GM.

• Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, City University

Supplementary research was provided by:

• Liz Powell-Bullock
• Adriana Rodriguez