§ Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the possibilities of declaring an amnesty for those farm chemicals and fertilisers currently the subject of banning orders.
§ Mr. RyderNo representations have been made for an amnesty in respect of fertilisers since none of these are banned. There have however been a number of representations that an amnesty should be declared so as to permit the disposal of holdings of unapproved pesticide concentrates. In each instance it has been explained that no such amnesty is warranted, since those who can demonstrate that they have taken responsible steps towards achieving disposal—that is, by at least having made arrangements with a reputable specialist waste disposal contractor—need not fear that they will be penalised for illegal stockholding. Whenever the degree of risk permits, withdrawal of approval is phased so as to allow existing stocks to be used up.