§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage as regards weight and financial value of herbicides exported between January and September 1980 contained 2,4,5-T; and to what extent the presence of this particular herbicide in the exported product was labelled.
§ Mr. ParkinsonHerbicides derived from 2,4,5-T are included with a number of other herbicides under SITC (R2) Sub-group 591.3 in theOverseas Trade Statistics but are not separately identified. The information requested is, therefore, not available. No information is available on the extent of labelling of 2,4,5-T products in this period. However, a product containing more than 60 per cent. of 2,4,5-T in solid form or 15 per cent. in liquid form consigned by sea from the United Kingdom is subject to the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules, 1978, SI 1978–1543, as amended, and must comply with the relevant provisions of that instrument, including the provision requiring containers to be marked with distinctive and durable labels or stencils indicating the correct technical name of the goods. All products containing 2,4,5-T consigned from the United Kingdom by air constitute restricted articles under IATA Restricted Articles Regulations (23rd edition) and must comply with those regulations, which require, inter alia, that containers be marked "Other Resricted Articles, Group A." We have no evidence that these requirements have not been complied with.