"ZERO ACTION ON SIZE ZERO FROM MODEL HEALTH INQUIRY" - DOOCEY

1.42.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 11th Jul 2007

Commenting on the publication of Baroness Kingsmill's interim report of her Model Health Inquiry, Liberal Democrat Culture, Fashion and Tourism spokesperson on the London Assembly, Dee Doocey, said:

"This report is a huge disappointment. We were led to believe that this inquiry would produce recommendations that would actually protect young models in London Fashion Week from exploitation and illness. The only firm commitment is to ban the use of models under the age of 16 from the catwalk. Whilst I welcome this, I reiterate my call for a ban on the use of models with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5.

'The College of Psychiatrists supported this proposal in their evidence to the inquiry yet it is conspicuously absent from today's recommendations. I accept that BMI bans may not be the panacea, but it would be a principled start and send a strong signal to the industry that practices that put young women's health at risk will not be tolerated.

'Unless some real action is taken the health of our young models will continue to suffer, and so will the future of London Fashion Week."