12. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the risks involved, he will now take powers to prevent the arsenite spraying of potato foliage on this year's crop.
§ Mr. GodberI am confident that the strict observance of the recommended safety precautions by those concerned, assisted by the publicity that will be given to the safety requirements, will minimise the risks during this final season of use.
Mrs. ButlerIs the Minister aware that I speak as one of the many consumers who are completely bewildered and wonder why this potato spraying is continuing despite the recommended ban by the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances, and the fact that samples of potatoes were found to contain seven parts per million of arsenic, which I believe is seven times the permissive amount? In view of the fact that there is always a possibility of something going wrong, through freak weather conditions, for example, would it not be better to have a lower potato yield this year and discontinue these sprays altogether now?
§ Mr. GodberI think that there must be some slight misapprehension here. It is not because of risk to the consumer that we are taking the steps which we are taking. It is to safeguard those concerned in the production side, and particularly the workers concerned. We have had no evidence at any time of any risk to consumers. I assure the hon. Lady that in every investigation which we have made there has been no basis for any real alarm about the consumer.
Mrs. ButlerWill the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there is no danger whatever to the consumer from the crops being sprayed this year with arsenic?
§ Mr. GodberCertainly I will give the hon. Lady an assurance that we have no experience of such a thing ever having happened, and I have no reason to believe that it would.