HL Deb 20 May 1980 vol 409 cc905-6WA
Lord AVEBURY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the dates of the meetings of the Toxic Substances Advisory Committee of the Health and Safety Executive during the remainder of 1980; whether the committee has considered or are due to consider, and if so at which meeting, the problem of chloracnegenic chemicals, and if so, whether they will cause to be placed in the Library of the House of Lords copies of all documents and letters to be taken into account by the committee.

The Earl of GOWRIE

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances will be held on Wednesday, 2nd July 1980. The committee will meet again in the autumn on a date to be arranged later.

The committee has not so far considered the problem of chemicals in general which are liable to cause chloracne. However, the potential health hazards arising from the use of the herbicide 2, 4, 5-T, a substance which itself does not cause chloracne but which may contain minute quantities of TCDD (2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin), a chemical which does cause chloracne, are to be discussed by the committee at its meeting on 2nd July, 1980.

The papers of this committee are working documents used in the preparation of the committee's advice to the Commission. They are therefore interim documents and for that reason it would be inappropriate to place them in the House of Lords Library.

However, important decisions made by the Health and Safety Commission following the advisory committee's recommendations are published and scientific papers which are considered by the committee are freely available from the usual sources. I have asked the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission to send the noble Lord a note containing appropriate background information about various chemicals which are likely to cause chloracne.

House adjourned at seventeen minutes past eleven o'clock.