§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is conducting into lead levels in food produced adjacent to motorways or other main roads.
§ Mr. RyderMy Department is not conducting research into lead levels in food produced adjacent to motorways or other main roads. My Department did fund research on this between 1980 and 1983 at the university of Nottingham. This showed that only a small proportion of vegetables grown next to the M1 exceeded statutory lead levels before washing. Washing and removal of outer leaves halves deposited lead levels which means that the vegetables in this study have been below the statutory level once treated for human consumption. My officials will be studying the results of the recent research carried out by Dr. Ward at the university of Surrey.