§ Mr. Malcolm Bruce (Gordon)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 20, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent discussion, namely,
The need to ban the chemical Alar, the apple spraying product.The request is specific because the product is a chemical growth regulator which helps to make more buds set and grow into mature fruit, so it is being sprayed at this time of year. The matter is important because the chemical is especially dangerous for children, who eat far more apples and apple products for their body weight and have longer to develop the cancers associated with this product. The matter is urgent because we have learnt in the past 24 hours that the American Government have banned the use of this product. We are anxious to ensure that the British Government either do the same or explain why they are not going to do so.I and my colleagues have expressed concern on this matter and have been in correspondence with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Although the United States Government are now determined to ban the product, I received a letter from the Minister on 31 May saying that the British Government did not intend to ban the product and did not believe that the product was especially harmful. We need to know from the Government exactly how the British examination has come to an apparently opposite conclusion from that drawn by the American authorities.
The Government have also said that if they find that there is any evidence that should cause public concern, they will publish it. They stated to the Select Committee on Agriculture that they would ensure that the information 240 made available to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides would be made available to the public. I am sure that you, Mr. Speaker, would accept in the light of this development in the past 24 hours that the Government should tell the House exactly what they intend to do about this product. If they intend to ban it, they should do so now and inform the House. If they do not, they should publish all the information available to them and explain why they do not intend to ban it.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 20, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he believes should have urgent consideration, namely,
The need to ban the chemical Alar, the apple spraying product.I have listened with care to what the hon. Gentleman has said. As he knows, my sole duty in considering an application under Standing Order No. 20 is to decide whether it should be given priority over the business set down for today or tomorrow. I regret that the matter that the hon. Gentleman has raised does not meet the criteria of Standing Order No. 20 so I cannot submit his application to the House.