More Government Initiatives?

The Daily Telegraph reports that Andrew Lansley, who is to give a speech at the Faculty of Public Health, will set out plans to provide extra funding to local authorities who do something to promote and cut down tooth decay in children, reducing the number of times people fall in their own homes and boosting breastfeeding - amongst other 'aims' which include truancy and obesity. Nowhere does there seem to be any acknowledgement, either by Lansley nor Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor, of the EU influence in these matters.


Domestic violence is a high priority for the EU, reiterated by the conclusions reached by the EU’s Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council which aimed at achieving “the eradication of violence against women in the EU”.


Breast feeding is also subject in which the EU 'has a view' and has done for some years now with the then European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, in 2004 writing:

"The Blueprint for Action provides a framework for the development of such plans.The Blueprint will be made available to all those Governments, institutions and organizations who are willing to work together for the protection, promotion and support of  breastfeeding. I invite them to use the Blueprint and translate its proposals and recommendations into action."

That 'paper' was later revised in 2008.


Truancy is another area in which the EU has views, ones being 'managed' by Cordis, Community Research and Development Information Service for Science, Research and Development.


Obesity is - guess what - another area in which the EU has views, ones being 'managed' by DG Health and Consumers and the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Page 60 of this document shows just how many 'organisations' in the UK are involved in this field.


Once again we find that what are presented as national policies are no more than our politicians setting out 'frameworks' of their own which in turn comply with 'frameworks' of the EU. In this latest development one can but repeat the words of Richard North, EU Referendum, at the end of this post:

"......those who are the most avid supporters of the EU seem to be those who are also keenest to deny its involvement in so many aspects of our lives."