§ 2. Mr. Longdenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the recommendation in the report of the advisory committee on poisonous substances used in agriculture and food storage in February, 1964 that the use of DDT should be reviewed after three years, he has any statement to make.
§ Mr. HoyThe Advisory Committee on Pesticides and other Toxic Chemicals recently started to review the use in Great Britain of DDT and certain other persistent organo-chlorine pesticides.
§ Mr. LongdenBetter late than never, because it is now several years since the then Government informed me that it was causing inquiry to be made into the effect on the ecology of the countryside of these chemicals. Can the matter be speeded up?
§ Mr. HoyI am grateful that at least I have been able to announce that it is being done. We cannot speed it up too quickly. The Committee which investigates this must go into the matter very carefully to consider all the aspects.