§ 43. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make regulations implementing the labelling requirements of the Farm and Garden Chemicals Act.
§ 30. Sir D. Rentonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the regulations that have been issued in connection with the Farm and Garden Chemicals Act 1967 have not made provision for a simple indication on the containers of the chemicals concerned as to whether they are reasonably safe, such as derris and pyrethrum, or dangerous, such as organochlorine; and whether he will consider amending the regulations accordingly.
§ Mr. HoyWe hope to make regulations within the next two months. These will require any scheduled active ingredients to be named clearly and conspicuously on the label. My right hon. Friend will consider further regulations requiring an indication of toxicity in the light of the discussions we are now having with certain other countries in the Council of Europe.
§ Mrs. ButlerI thank my right hon. Friend for that Answer. Is there any possibility of bringing forward the regulations indicating toxicity, in view of the fact that consumer organisations have made strong representations about this, and that during Conservation Year the general public are much more concerned about toxic pesticides than they were when the regulations were first drafted?
§ Mr. HoyI assure my hon. Friend that I appreciate her feelings in the matter, but the delay will not be due to us. We are doing our best to speed things up.