UK - Lymington Times - Tories accused of fluoridation U turn

Tories accused of fluoridation U turn
THE government has been accused of breaking its promise to make it impossible to add fluoride to New Forest water supplies without a majority of residents in favour.
Some 8,000 people in Totton could be affected by NHS plans for Southampton and before the election, the Conservatives said public consent was "vital" before fluoride was added to the water.
But a senior Tory has now revealed the coalition has "no plans" to alter the law governing the way the chemical is introduced.
John Spottiswood, chairman of Hampshire Against Fluoride, said it was "very disappointing", adding: "We're not happy with it especially as both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives said this should no

The news comes as the leader of Hampshire County Council, Coun. Ken Thornber, sent a letter to Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley urging him to step in and cancel the plans.
He wrote: "In this instance the views of our population and locally elected representatives have been comprehensively ignored, incurring significant avoidable expenditure and public anger."
Fluoridation will affect 190,000 people and includes Totton because of the layout of the pipes. It was proposed by Southampton City Primary Care Trust to combat child tooth decay and approved by South Central Strategic Health Authority (SHA) last year.
But it is opposed by local councils and New Forest East MP Julian Lewis, and is being fought in the high court with a judicial review due next year. Opponents fear dangerous side effects, resent "forced medication" and want a referendum.
They submitted a 15,000-name petition against the plan and during consultation 72% of 10,000 respondents were against — although a Mori telephone poll for the SHA showed only 38% opposed against 32% in support.
Totton councillor David Harrison said: "I believe most local people will feel very let down by this announcement. During the general election campaign, much political capital was made by condemning the Labour party for allowing the strategic health authority to impose this on our community.
"Now, when in power, with the opportunity to stop it happening, it's a different story. Small wonder politicians are held in deep mistrust. People will be justified in thinking they have been cheated."
The new government's position was extracted by Dr Lewis in the House of Commons when he questioned the Leader of the House, Sir George Young — the MP for North West Hampshire.
Sir George noted "the strong local feelings and the unhappiness among some people" but said the government was not planning to do anything "in the short term to change the legislative framework in which the decisions are made".
But last year the Tories' then shadow health minister Mike Penning told Dr Lewis: "Communities should have to give their approval for any proposal before it is permitted to go ahead, and that fluoridation should not be enforced against the will of the population."
When the 'A&T1 asked the Department of Health for clarification, a spokeswoman pointed to a Commons statement by health minister Simon Burns who said people's views should be "taken into account", but he could not comment before the judicial review.
The SHA has put aside £400,000 to fight the court case which has been brought by Southampton resident Geraldine Milner.
Her lawyers argue fluoridation should not have been approved because it was at odds with pronouncements from members of the last government that such schemes should only be allowed if most of the local population were in favour.
The claim that the SHA did not properly consider the opponents' case was thrown out but an appeal against that decision will be heard in November. Fluoridation plans have been put on hold until the legal arguments are resolved.
However, by the time the judicial review goes ahead, the SHA may no longer exist as the new government looks set to axe expensive quangos and replace them with an NHS commissioning board.