Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken in respect of advice given by the Department of Health and Social Security Committee on carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment, that anglers should not use chrysoidine dye or place chrysoidine-dyed maggots in their mouths because of the possible links between chrysoidine dye and bladder cancer; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alexander FletcherThe advice from the Department of Health and Social Security Committee on
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Ordinary and Long-term Supplementary Benefit Scale Rates* as a Percentage of Average Male Net Earnings† November 1979 November 1980 November 1981 November 1982‡ Ordinary Long-Term Ordinary Long-Term Ordinary Long-Term Ordinary Long-Term Single householder 22.9 29.7 22.6 28.8 22.8 29.0 23.7 30.1 Married couple—no children 35.5 45.0 35.1 44.0 35.5 44.5 36.7 46.0 Married couple + 1 child aged 5–11 41.0 50.1 40.5 49.1 40.9 49.5 42.2 51.1 Married couple + 2 children, 1 aged under 5 and 1 aged 5–11 46.0 54.6 46.8 54.9 47.3 55.5 48.8 57.2 Married couple + 4 children, 2 aged under 5 and 2 aged 5–11 53.8 61.7 55.4 62.9 55.8 63.3 57.4 65.1 Notes * Includes age-related heating addition in respect of children aged under 5. † Based on estimates of gross average weekly earnings of men in full-time employment in all occupations in Great Britain derived from the new earnings survey. Deductions made for income tax and national insurance contributions (non-contracted-out rate); child benefit is added where appropriate. ‡ Provisional figures only for November 1982. Carcinogenicity was that anglers should not put chrysoidine-treated maggots in the mouth and the Department has written to the angling press asking it to draw this to the attention of readers. We have also passed this advice to the British Association of Fishing Tackle Makers and Distributors, and to two anglers' associations. We understand that the advice has been widely disseminated.