§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many pesticides, showing (a) products, and (b) chemicals, are currently approved by them for agricultural use; how many pesticides are provisionally approved; and how many pesticides have been given temporary approval for use on minor crops.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)Under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 there are currently approved for use in agriculture (a) some 1,900 products based on (b) about 400 active ingredients. Those products currently with full approval are, in the main, the 800 or so previously granted "approval" under the former agricultural chemicals approvals scheme. The remainder are provisionally approved pending the generation of further data, which, in the majority of cases, will be data on efficacy. I announced on 30th October interim arrangements which, from next year, will allow growers to use on certain minor crops products approved for other agricultural uses. It would only be possible at disproportionate cost to determine the number of products which will be available under these arrangements. I have asked for details of the interim arrangements to be placed in the Library of the House.