HL Deb 27 January 1993 vol 541 cc95-6WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many cases of poisoning by organophosphate sheep dips were reported in each year from 1985 to 1992 inclusive.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)

The number of reports of suspected adverse reactions in humans received by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate arising from the use of organophosphate sheep dips is set out below:

Year Number of Reported Cases
1985 8
1986 10
1987 10
1988 19
1989 9
1990 5
1991 135
1992 136

A significant proportion of the reports received since 1990 are historical cases where a suspected adverse reaction had occurred more than one year previously. To put these figures into context, during the same period over one million sheep dippings will have been carried out.