§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what foetal abnormalities have been detected in animals from contact with or ingestion of dioxin compounds used in the herbicide 2,4,5-T.
§ Mr. WigginSuch compounds are not used in the herbicide 2,4,5-T. I am not aware of any evidence of foetal abnormalities in animals which have been exposed to 2,4,5-T.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to his Department by the Trades Union Congress about the use of the herbicide 2,4,5-T.
§ Mr. WigginNone.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in the past 10 years the use of herbicide 2,4,5-T has been referred to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.
§ Mr. WigginNine times.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions his Department has had with the United States Environmental Protection Agency about the toxicity of the herbicide 2,4,5-T following the ban on its use by that agency in March 1979.
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§ Mr. WigginThe subject was discussed at a tripartite meeting last autumn between American, Canadian, and United Kingdom specialists.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of the herbicide 2,4,5,-T were used by the Forestry Commission in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. WigginThe quantities used were as follows:
Year Annual usage (tonnes) 1977 1.0 (estimate) 1978 1.6 1979 1.25
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to his Department by the union of agricultural workers about the use of the herbicide 2,4,5-T; and what reply was given.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerWhen I met the NUAAW on 16 November on other matters I invited its executive to submit a paper to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and undertook to arrange a meeting between the executive and the committee. I have not yet received the paper.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which European countries outside the European Economic Community the use of the herbicide 2,4,5-T is known to be prohibited.
§ Mr. WigginNorway and Sweden.