§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities in Scotland are presently using the herbicide 2,4,5-T containing dioxin; and what steps he is taking to ensure its ban.
178Wrecommended upper limit at November 1979 prices in each year.
§ Mr. Younger[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1980, c. 819–20]: I wish to give the following amended reply.
Guidelines, which are indicative, not mandatory, have been issued as an aid to local authorities in their budgeting since 1976–77. The information is given in the table below and relates to the years for which provisional out-turn data are available.
§ Mr. YoungerInformation from the most recent pesticides usage survey has not yet been collated but earlier data suggest that 2,4,5-T herbicides are not much used by local authorities in Scotland. As the formulations of 2,4,5-T herbicides used in this country contain no dioxin 179W beyond the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation limits and have been cleared by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides as safe when used as recommended, the second part of the question does not arise.