HL Deb 24 November 1959 vol 219 cc870-1
LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether preparations containing aminotriazole are used in this country for spraying crops.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL WALDEGRAVE)

My Lords, a preparation containing aminotriazole is used in this country as a herbicide, but it is not recommended for use on growing crops.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, will it not be wise that this should be prohibited altogether, as it has been discovered to be a cancer-inducing agent?

EARL WALDEGRAVE

No, my Lords. Her Majesty's Government have no such evidence that it is a cancer-inducing agent, and it would not be wise to ban this material as a herbicide.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, has the noble Earl any guarantee that it will not get on to crops which are used for human consumption?

EARL WALDEGRAVE

My Lords, I clearly cannot guarantee that by means of drift or in other ways this material might not get on crops which are used for human consumption, but there is no evidence that this substance is likely to cause injury to humans.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, might I ask the noble Earl whether this particular substance comes within the purview of the Committee of which the House was informed on Thursday last when I raised the subject?

EARL WALDEGRAVE

My Lords, this substance would come under the purview of the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances if it were known to be a danger, but we are advised that this substance is of such low mammalian toxicity that examination by this Committee is not necessary.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

Then it is admitted that it does have an effect upon mammals. And is it not also known that the American Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of it?

EARL WALDEGRAVE

My Lords, the information that we have from America is perhaps a little conflicting, but many prominent American citizens are reported to have been eating large quantities of the particular foodstuff that was contaminated or otherwise touched by this commodity, so far without any deleterious results.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, surely the noble Earl is aware, is he not, of the difference between chronic toxicity and acute toxicity?