HL Deb 23 May 1980 vol 409 cc1098-9WA
Lord AVEBURY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What experts will be consulted by the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances on the biochemical and immunological abnormalities which may have arisen from exposure to dioxin.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EMPLOYMENT (The Earl of Gowrie)

I refer to my reply to the noble Lord's Question of 7th May giving the date of the next meeting of the Health and Safety Commission's Advisory Com mittee on Toxic Substances.

I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that since the Advisory Committee has still to meet to consider the health hazards arising from the use of the herbicide 2, 4, 5, -T it is not possible to say what experts will be consulted on the biochemical and immunological abnormalities which may have arisen from exposure to the dioxin TCDD (2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin). Committee members consult experts within the organisations they represent or, in the case of independent members, professional colleagues on matters which are the subject of committee papers.