§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why no records of the quantities of organochlorines imported into this country are kept when the use of these substances as seed dressings and for other agricultural purposes is supposedly controlled, and whether statistics are kept on the import of dangerous chemicals which are subject to statutory controls in this country.
§ Lord LyellStatistics on chemicals generally are not compiled because they fall within generic groups, or are subject to statutory controls or are considered dangerous. Some information on imports of particular organochlorines is given in the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom under SITC (R2) Item 511-39, although in some cases with restrictions on publication owing to the needs of commercial privacy. Estimates of average annual usage of organochlorines in agriculture have already been provided in answer to Written Questions by the noble Lord on 29th October and 8th December, 1981.