HL Deb 13 May 1998 vol 589 cc1074-6

2.45 p.m.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures they are taking to ensure that the dietary intake of organophosphate pesticides in fruit and vegetables is below the reference dose for infants and children.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)

My Lords, we have a comprehensive programme of monitoring pesticide residues in home produced and imported food. We are also conducting research to see whether residues of organophosphates on a single fruit or vegetable—for example, an apple or carrot—could result in the acute reference dose being exceeded. We have suspended the use of one organophosphate compound on carrots and parsnips. In addition, we are leading international discussions on the approach to acute risk assessment and management and will host a conference on this later this year. Finally, we have initiated a review of all organophosphate compounds approved for use as pesticides in agriculture and horticulture.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that helpful reply. Is he aware of a recent American research paper entitled Overexposed which indicates that about 1 million American children every day are overexposed to organophosphates in their food and that about 100,000 of them have 10 times the reference dose of organophosphates each day? Are tests conducted on all fruit and vegetables which come from the American continent in view of the fact that many are sold on stalls and therefore are probably not monitored by the supermarkets? In the light of a Written Answer in which the noble Lord informed me that only four tests were conducted on 46,000 tonnes of apples imported from America, does he believe that the testing is satisfactory?

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, I thank the noble Countess for her comments. I am indeed aware of the American report. The Food and Drugs Administration has issued a response to the report. It found some aspects of the report helpful but questioned a number of the assumptions. As regards our own sampling, there is no historic reason to have concern about imports from the American continent. I assure the noble Countess that we are bearing in mind the American report. We shall take into account its implications for our sampling procedures.

The Earl of Clanwilliam

My Lords, does the Minister accept that organophosphates are a systemic pesticide and therefore cannot be removed by either scraping or washing? The preparation is inherent in the product to which it is applied. Once it is in the product, it cannot be got out.

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, we are aware of the disadvantages of organophosphates. That is why we have introduced a number of measures limiting their use. We continue to recommend using a knife to peel carrots, for example, and not to depend simply on washing.

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

My Lords, will the noble Lord confirm what he has just said? I was going to ask whether the official advice from two or three years ago still stands; that not only should we peel carrots, but in the case of young children it is advisable to peel fruit as well.

Lord Donoughue

Yes, my Lords, that is still our advice.

Baroness Byford

My Lords, do the same strict rules apply to pesticide information in the European states as in this country? Can the noble Lord give any guarantees that the application of those rules will be encouraged, if they are not applied at present?

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, the noble Baroness is correct. There are problems concerning variations in international controls. We are pursuing the matter—for instance, through the Codex Alimentarius Commission. We are hosting a conference on such specific issues later this year.

Baroness Anelay of St. Johns

My Lords, I take note that the UK has suspended the use of phorate on carrots and parsnips. I recognise that carrots may not be your Lordships' favourite vegetable. However, they perform a valuable service and when mashed up form the mainstay of some baby and infant foods. When UK consumers buy products from other European Union states, what guarantee can the Government give that the same measures will be taken in EU states and that those consumers will be protected?

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, we have a regular monitoring programme, in relation to children's food in particular. Hitherto that has not revealed risk at a level that concerns us. However, the question the noble Baroness asks is appropriate. I assure her that we shall pursue the points with all vigour.

Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes

My Lords, if our partners in the European Union do not apply the same restrictions to their carrots and turnips, can we ban those vegetables from this country?

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, on the whole the levels have not justified that action. We are concerned where the safety margin has been eroded. If at any point there was risk to human life, whatever the source of the product we would take the appropriate action.

Lord Monkswell

My Lords, the whole population of this country may not be aware of government advice to peel carrots. When do the Government envisage being able to lift that instruction so allowing people to eat carrots without peeling them?

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, we allow people to eat them in any way they wish. We continue the sensible advice of the previous government. If at some point the level of pesticide residues was such that there was no danger whatever, we would make the appropriate statement. However, that is not immediate.

Lord Glenamara

My Lords, the Minister gave the impression that peeling vegetables is sufficient. Surely it is not contact with the soil which transmits the chemical. The systemic chemical becomes embodied in the whole substance of the vegetable. There is as much inside the carrot as in the peel.

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, that is correct. I did not say that peeling was sufficient; I said that it was helpful. We test the whole product. Currently the pesticide residues within the whole unit do not justify any action other than that that we are taking to reduce the overall use of organophosphates.