The Department maintains regular engagement with a range of stakeholders on matters relating to nutrition legislation, and this has included the European Commission’s proposals for potentially introducing maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. To date this has not included healthcare professionals, but we would consider future stakeholder engagement requirements once further information on the European Commission’s proposals becomes available.

For information on the application in Northern Ireland of any future European Union changes to food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework, and the Government's assessment of the implications for regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 20033.

In addition, for the Department’s assessment of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in Northern Ireland, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2026 in response to Question 20032.

The Department maintains regular engagement with a range of stakeholders on matters relating to nutrition legislation, and this has included the European Commission’s proposals for potentially introducing maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. To date this has not included healthcare professionals, but we would consider future stakeholder engagement requirements once further information on the European Commission’s proposals becomes available.

For information on the application in Northern Ireland of any future European Union changes to food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework, and the Government's assessment of the implications for regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 20033.

In addition, for the Department’s assessment of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in Northern Ireland, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2026 in response to Question 20032.

The Department maintains regular engagement with a range of stakeholders on matters relating to nutrition legislation, and this has included the European Commission’s proposals for potentially introducing maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. To date this has not included healthcare professionals, but we would consider future stakeholder engagement requirements once further information on the European Commission’s proposals becomes available.

For information on the application in Northern Ireland of any future European Union changes to food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework, and the Government's assessment of the implications for regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 20033.

In addition, for the Department’s assessment of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in Northern Ireland, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2026 in response to Question 20032.

The Department maintains regular engagement with a range of stakeholders on matters relating to nutrition legislation, and this has included the European Commission’s proposals for potentially introducing maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. To date this has not included healthcare professionals, but we would consider future stakeholder engagement requirements once further information on the European Commission’s proposals becomes available.

For information on the application in Northern Ireland of any future European Union changes to food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework, and the Government's assessment of the implications for regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 20033.

In addition, for the Department’s assessment of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in Northern Ireland, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2026 in response to Question 20032.

The Department maintains regular engagement with a range of stakeholders on matters relating to nutrition legislation, and this has included the European Commission’s proposals for potentially introducing maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. To date this has not included healthcare professionals, but we would consider future stakeholder engagement requirements once further information on the European Commission’s proposals becomes available.

For information on the application in Northern Ireland of any future European Union changes to food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework, and the Government's assessment of the implications for regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 20033.

In addition, for the Department’s assessment of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in Northern Ireland, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2026 in response to Question 20032.

NIO Ministers engage regularly with Cabinet colleagues on a variety of issues including European Union Regulations applying in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, such as the European Union food supplement regulations..

The UK Government is negotiating a new strategic partnership with the EU called a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. It is the Government’s intention that the agreement will take effect in mid-2027. Legislation relating to food supplements and the addition of vitamins and minerals to foods is within scope of the SPS agreement.

An SPS agreement would mean that legislation in-scope of the agreement in Great Britain, would dynamically align with equivalent legislation in the EU. This also means that regulations for businesses in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be aligned.

Therefore, if EU Food Supplements Regulations are updated in the future to include maximum levels of vitamins and minerals, these regulations in Great Britain will be updated, too.

In Northern Ireland, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) holds policy responsibility relating to food supplements and the addition of vitamins and minerals and certain other substances to foods.

At present there are no maximum levels of vitamins and minerals set in legislation, in either Great Britain or the European Union. The EU is currently working on an initiative that will propose maximum levels for vitamins or minerals that may be added to food supplements and fortified foods, and minimum levels for specific vitamins and minerals when added to food supplements. Any proposals will be consulted upon by the EU, however, the consultation has not yet been published.

The FSA is monitoring the progress of the EU’s planned proposals, including any consultation, and further analysis will be carried out when further information is available. FSA officials will be working with counterparts across the United Kingdom through the Nutrition-related Labelling, Composition and Standards provisional Common Framework policy group to manage any changes relating to this area.

Currently, Northern Ireland continues to apply relevant European Union (EU) food supplements legislation under the Windsor Framework.

The Government is negotiating a new strategic partnership with the EU called a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. It is the Government’s intention that the agreement will take effect in mid-2027. Legislation relating to food supplements and the addition of vitamins and minerals to foods is within scope of the SPS agreement.

An SPS agreement would mean that legislation in-scope of the agreement in Great Britain, would dynamically align with equivalent legislation in the EU. This also means that regulations for businesses in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be aligned. Therefore, if EU Food Supplements Regulations are updated in the future to include maximum levels of vitamins and minerals, these regulations in Great Britain will be updated, too.

Officials continue to engage with devolved governments across the United Kingdom through the Nutrition-related Labelling, Composition and Standards (NLCS) Common Framework which aims to reach common positions on nutrition-related labelling, composition and standards legislation in the interests of the UK internal market.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently conducting a rapid review of whether current vitamin D recommendations for vitamin D intake and status are adequate for people with higher melanin concentrations. The vitamin D working group is reviewing relevant evidence and discussions are ongoing. In line with the usual SACN process, minutes of the SACN vitamin D working group meetings, along with minutes of all SACN meetings, are published on the SACN’s website. The SACN aims to publish conclusions of the review later in 2026. Ministers are informed of SACN publications and risk assessments and receive separate advice on potential subsequent policy options.

For people at risk of not receiving enough vitamin D during the summer months we recommend they consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year. Advice is available on the National Health Service website for everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, to consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. Our focus is on ensuring that vitamin D policy prioritises interventions with the greatest public health impact. We have therefore not assessed the merits of workplace-based vitamin supplementation programmes and are not currently planning any additional action to introduce targeted vitamin D supplementation programmes. Any further risk management approaches will be considered once SACN has completed reviewing the evidence and made recommendations for people with higher melanin concentrations.

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey is designed to provide data on the diet and nutrition of the general United Kingdom population. The survey design means that oversampling of ethnic minority groups is challenging. However, a recent increase in the number of blood samples collected annually in the survey means we expect to be able to analyse and report vitamin D status by ethnicity by combining data collected from 2024 to 2029.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently conducting a rapid review of whether current vitamin D recommendations for vitamin D intake and status are adequate for people with higher melanin concentrations. The vitamin D working group is reviewing relevant evidence and discussions are ongoing. In line with the usual SACN process, minutes of the SACN vitamin D working group meetings, along with minutes of all SACN meetings, are published on the SACN’s website. The SACN aims to publish conclusions of the review later in 2026. Ministers are informed of SACN publications and risk assessments and receive separate advice on potential subsequent policy options.

For people at risk of not receiving enough vitamin D during the summer months we recommend they consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year. Advice is available on the National Health Service website for everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, to consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. Our focus is on ensuring that vitamin D policy prioritises interventions with the greatest public health impact. We have therefore not assessed the merits of workplace-based vitamin supplementation programmes and are not currently planning any additional action to introduce targeted vitamin D supplementation programmes. Any further risk management approaches will be considered once SACN has completed reviewing the evidence and made recommendations for people with higher melanin concentrations.

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey is designed to provide data on the diet and nutrition of the general United Kingdom population. The survey design means that oversampling of ethnic minority groups is challenging. However, a recent increase in the number of blood samples collected annually in the survey means we expect to be able to analyse and report vitamin D status by ethnicity by combining data collected from 2024 to 2029.