Joint announcement by the Department of Health, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Northern Ireland and the Food Standards Agency.
Yvette Cooper, the Public Health Minister, announced today on behalf of the UK Health Departments and The Food Standards Agency the appointment of members to the new Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).
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SACN will be a committee of independent experts, which will advise the Government on matters relating to diet and nutrition and health. SACN succeeds the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) which was established in 1963. The Committee’s establishment follows the setting up of the Food Standards Agency and the consequent need to review existing arrangements for scientific advice on nutrition. The Committee will advise The Agency and Health Departments and will be supported by a joint secretariat from The Agency and the Department of Health.
The following people have been appointed as members. They bring varied expertise and valuable experience with them. Their scientific advice will be crucial to the development of public health policy on nutrition.
Professor Peter Aggett(OBE) University of Lancashire 4yrs
Professor Annie Anderson University of Dundee 3yrs
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By GlobalDataProfessor Sheila Bingham MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge 4yrs
Dr John Cummings University of Dundee 2yrs
Ms Gillian Fine Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd 3yrs
Ms Paulette Jones DIVERT Trust, London 2yrs
Dr Timothy Key ICRF, Oxford 2yrs
Professor Peter Kopelmann St Bartholomew’s & Royal London
School Medicine & Dentistry 3yrs
Dr Ann Prentice MRC HNR, Cambridge 4yrs
Professor Andrew Rugg-Gunn Newcastle University Dental School 3yrs
Professor Prakash Shetty London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine 4yrs
Dr Anita Thomas Derriford Hospital, Plymouth 3yrs
Mrs Stella Walsh Leeds Metropolitan University/National
Federation of Consumer Groups 3yrs
Dr Anthony Williams St Georges’ Hospital, London 4yrs
Professor Christine Williams University of Reading 4yrs
Professor Alan Jackson was appointed as Chair last April.
For further information about the candidates see attached Annexes.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- The lengths of appointments vary. Members of SACN are unpaid, but receive £89 for attending each meeting of the Committee and are reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses. A reading fee of £22.50 per meeting is also paid. SACN is expected to meet 3 or 4 times a year.
- Members were appointed following an appointment process in line with guidance from the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Posts were widely advertised in scientific, ethnic and broad sheet press.
- All other enquiries should be directed to The Department of Health Press Office (020 7210 xxxx) or The Food Standards Agency Press Office (020 7972 2379).
Annex A
Name | Other current Ministerial appointments | Fees | Political activity |
Prof Peter Aggett | 1. Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment 2. Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals | £89
£72 | Member of Scientists for Labour |
Prof Annie Anderson | None | None | |
Prof Sheila Bingham | Phytoestrogen Working Group | £72 | None |
Dr John Cummings | None | – | None |
Ms Gillian Fine | None | None | |
Ms Paulette Jones | None | – | None |
Dr Timothy Key | None | – | None |
Prof Peter Kopelman | None | – | None |
Dr Ann Prentice | None | – | None |
Prof Andrew Rugg-Gunn | None | – | None |
Prof Prakash Shetty | None |
– | None |
Dr Anita Thomas | 1. Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment 2. Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals | £89
£72 | None |
Mrs Stella Walsh | None | – | None |
Dr Anthony Williams | Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals | £72 | None |
Prof Christine Williams | None | – | None |
Annex B
BIOGRAPHIES OF CANDIDATES
Prof Peter Aggett
Head of School, Lancashire Postgraduate School of Medicine and Health, Professor of Child Health and Nutrition. Interested in nutrition and metabolism. Experienced in issues relating to food composition. Initiated and chaired a variety of advisory committees at national and international levels relating to clinical nutrition, public health and preventative medicine. Sat on various DH and MAFF advisory committees and was a member of COMA for 7 years.
Prof Annie Anderson
Research Professor of Food Choice at the Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Ninewells Medical School, University of Dundee. She is a member of the MAFF Working Party on Dietary Surveys, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh SIGN Review Group on Obesity Management and Dept of Health Diet and Cancer Reduction Steering Group & Research Committee. She has been involved in dietary measurement, nutrition education and interventions in children and adults in disadvantaged communities.
Prof Sheila Bingham
Deputy Director of the Medical Research Council’s Dunn Human Nutrition Unit. Well known for her work in the prevention of cancer through diet. She is a principal investigator of the UK EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer) study which is a European wide collaboration. She was a member of COMA for 9 years and has served on a number of other government subcommittees and working groups including the Food Standards Agency Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals Working Group on Phytoestrogens.
Dr John Cummings
Clinical Scientist at Dept of Molecular & Cellular Pathology, University of Dundee. He is a practising gastroenterologist and has maintained a clinical interest in gastroenterology for over 30 years. He has published many research papers on the influence of diet in relation to gut and other diseases. Served on many public bodies, both national and international, with specific interest in nutrition and public health and is regarded as an expert in dietary fibre and colonic health.
Miss Gillian Fine
Company nutritionist at Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd with responsibility for developing and implementing the company’s nutrition strategy. She is a qualified Public Health Nutritionist with 18 years experience in both private and public sectors. In her previous job at the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), she was involved in developing the Foundation’s strategy to improve nutrition education in the UK and was responsible for the initiation and subsequent development of the BNF/MAFF ‘Food a Fact of Life’ programme for schools. She has experience of working as a nutritionist in industry, nutrition education and consumer communication.
Ms Paulette Jones
Senior Mentoring Development Officer, DIVERT Trust, London where for three years her achievements include supporting and advising the mentoring projects throughout London, writing of the DIVERT mentoring handbook, setting up and management of projects, spearheading the Charity’s development of parental support. Represents DIVERT at the Associate Parliamentary Group on Parenting, coordinates a London mentoring and befriending forum. She has an interest in nutrition through her work with the elderly.
Dr Timothy Key
Reader in Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, works at ICRF Cancer Epidemiology Unit in the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford. He has special interests in the interactions between nutrition and hormones, cancer and cardiovascular disease. He is the lead investigator of the Oxford component of EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer) which is a European wide collaborative study, and chairman of the EPIC working group on nutrition and prostate cancer.
Prof Peter Kopelman
Professor of Clinical Medicine, Assistant Warden (Education), Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London. Has considerable experience, from a clinical perspective, in the delivery of diabetes care and the management of obesity to all age groups. Worked closely with Health Authorities and national organisations in addressing nutritional matters. Chaired a large number of committees within the university sector, NHS, Health Authorities and the Royal College of Physicians.
Dr Ann Prentice
Director, MRC Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge. Her application is supported by the UK Nutrition Society. Her main research interests are nutritional aspects of bone health and osteoporosis; dietary requirements for human growth, pregnancy and lactation, and old age with particular reference to micronutrients. Has published extensive peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and reports. She also chaired COMA’s Subgroup on Nutrition and Bone Health.
Prof Andrew Rugg-Gunn
University Clinical Professor, Newcastle University Dental School. Adviser to the British Dental Association on nutrition and oral health; author of two textbooks, one of which is a definitive work on nutrition and dental disease; has extensively published work in nutrition and oral health.
Prof Prakash Shetty
Professor of Human Nutrition, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He is a very experienced nutritional physiologist and public health nutritionist. Has active involvement in national and international nutrition research/policy organisations and networks. Currently a member of International Dietary Energy Consultative Group, developing clear international policy on energy requirements.
Dr Anita Thomas
Practising Consultant Physician in general (internal) and geriatric medicine, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. Scientific background in health, nutrition and old age, has a doctorate on the subject of the nutritional status of elderly inpatients. Served on various DH committees and is currently a member of the FSA’s Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals.
Mrs Stella Walsh
Senior Lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University. She has a long standing interest in the subjects of food and nutrition. Until recently was the Secretary of the National Federation of Consumer Groups (NFCG). Is a NFCG representative on Institute of Grocery Distribution. She has experience of replying to government and industry consultations on behalf of consumers. Has published several refereed articles for academic and professional journals, book chapters and conference papers on consumer issues.
Dr Anthony Williams
Senior Lecturer & Consultant in Neonatal Paediatrics, St George’s Hospital, London. He was the Chair of COMA’s Panel on Child & Maternal Nutrition and a member of COMA. Represented COMA/PCMN on Welfare Food Review Group. He is currently a member of the FSA’s Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals.
Has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and reports on child health.
Prof Christine Williams
Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Reading. She is currently President of the UK Nutrition Society. She is an established international authority in human lipid nutrition and hormone metabolism in humans. Was a member of COMA’s Working Group on Nutrition and Cancer. Has extensive collaborations with researchers in Europe and the food industry.
