HC Deb 25 June 1964 vol 697 cc104-5W
37. Mr. Albu

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support is being given from Government funds to the development of specific, non-poisonous methods of the control of pests and weeds.

Sir E. Boyle

Research into nonpoisonous methods of controlling pests and weeds is being undertaken at a number of research institutes and units financed by the Agricultural Research Council or the Department of Technical Co-operation, and at universities with support from Government funds. These methods include the breeding of resistant varieties of crop plants and biological control as described in detail in Chapter V of the Report of the Council's Research Committee on Toxic Chemicals, which was published in February this year. The intensification of this research is being actively considered in the light of the Committee's recommendations.

As this work is part of larger programmes of research undertaken by a number of institutions it is not possible to isolate its total cost.