A poisoned debate

Lord Wakeham, chair of the House of Lords economics affairs committee, writing in yesterday's Guardian, concluded that "to assert, without rigorous evidence, that high net immigration brings huge economic benefits is simply unacceptable". I would argue that to imply that migration is a wholly negative thing, while knowing that the evidence is far more balanced, is just as unacceptable. The discussion of the committee's report (pdf) on the economics of immigration is a depressing example of what's wrong with the debate on immigration in Britain.

By IPPR, UK.

Governance Policy Resource.

Which Food Additives Are Safe? Which Aren’t?

If a waiter offered you some BHT in a restaurant, you’d probably decline. Yet that chemical is one of scores of hard-to-pronounce additives that routinely show up in the fine print on packaged foods’ ingredients lists. Is BHT safe? For the record, food manufacturers use it to keep oils from going rancid, but animal studies differ on whether in promotes or prevents cancer. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, publisher of Nutrition Action Healthletter, says it warrants caution. Nutrition Action’s revised “Chemical Cuisine,” its classic guide to food additives, is the cover story in the May issue.

By CSPI, USA.

Health Policy Resource.