§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What studies have been conducted into the amounts of pirimiphos-methyl likely to be ingested over their lifetime by:
fed on diets which include the whole grain and bran which has been treated with that chemical over an extended period on the farm, in intervention stores and by feed manufacturers: and what effects this diet alone, or when combined with treatment of the animals with phosmet warble fly dressing, organophosphate impregnated fly tags or collars and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, would have upon the brains, central, autonomic and peripheral nervous systems and reproductive systems of the animals; and, if there have been no such studies, whether they will commission this research using each chemical at the levels generally in use between 1980 and 1990. [HL2587]
- (a) dairy cows and
- (b) barley beef
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)Theoretical maximum daily intakes (TMDIs) for both beef and dairy cattle were estimated as part of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) evaluation of pirimiphos-methyl published in 1997. TMDIs were below the no effect level established from a range of chronic and acute toxicity studies. I am not aware of any studies on the possible interaction between pirimiphose-methyl in the diet and concomitant 37WA treatment with any organophosphate or pyrethroid veterinary medicine in cattle. The Government currently have no plans to commission such studies. However, the ACP's Medical and Toxicology Panel will be asked to consider the wider question of how multiple exposures from the same or related compounds can be brought within the risk assessment process for pesticides.