HC Deb 19 December 2001 vol 377 cc455-6W
Adam Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review safety levels of pesticide residues in food. [24014]

Mr. Morley

I have been asked to reply.

DEFRA works closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on all matters concerning pesticide residues in food.

The safety of pesticide residues in foodstuffs is kept under continuous review by DEFRA's Pesticide Safety Directorate with advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP). Additionally checks are made that residues in food are within statutory limits through a wide-ranging surveillance programme overseen by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC). The results from the PRC's surveillance programme are published quarterly on the Committee's website at www.pesticides.gov.uk.

There has been some specific concern over the potential combined effects of pesticide residues and at the request of the FSA, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), a group of independent experts, established a Working Group for the Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Pesticides/Veterinary Medicines (WIGRAMP).