§ Miss Richardsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Advisory Committee on Pesticides has rendered its further report on the herbicide 2,4,5-T; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StrangYes, and the advice from this expert committee is entirely reassuring. It has again reaffirmed that the products concerned can safely be used in the recommended way for the recommended purposes; nor has is discerned any grounds for modifying the conclusion it reached over a year ago that no new and unacceptable risks attend upon the burning of material treated with these products. I have noted with interest that the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council, after considering allegations of the kind that have recently been revived in this country, reported last month in much the same sense.
Along with all other products cleared under our pesticide safety precautions scheme, 2,4,5-T is subject to review including recmmended uses and prescribed safeguards. In the light of this latest and special review, I accept the committee's advice that there is no justification for any changes. However, in view of public interest in the matter, I have invited the committee to prepare a reference docu- 282W ment on 2,4,5-T which could be placed in the Library of the House and made available to the media and to other interests concerned, so that there is an authoritative medical and scientific appreciation to set beside any assessments or opinions from their sources.