79. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigation is being made by his Department of the electro-magnetic radiation method of controlling field crop insects.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsNone, I understand that the use of radiation to control pests in stored grain has been explored by the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in collaboration with the Pest Infestation Laboratory of the Agricultural Research Council but that, although the method was found to be technically feasible, its application appeared to be limited economically owing to the high capital cost of the equipment required. Irradiation has also been used to sterilise laboratory bred insects which are then released in large numbers to swamp the wild population; but this method of eradication is only possible in very special circumstances and so far no species in suitable conditions has been found in Britain. There is little prospect of a practicable method being developed for using radiation directly to control pests in standing crops.