HC Deb 20 December 1982 vol 34 cc345-6W
Mr. Norman Hogg

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report lists of the common names of substances used in industry that are (a) known to cause cancer and (b) strongly suspected of causing cancer; and if he is satisfied that these substances are adequately and clearly labelled to indicate that they may cause cancer.

Mr. Waddington

The Health and Safety Executive guidance note "Threshold Limit Values 1980" lists four substances known to cause cancer in humans and which are prohibited under the Carcinogenic Substances Regulations 1967, and reproduces the list of threshold limit values adopted by the American conference of Governmental industrial hygienists in 1980, which lists 41 substances that are recognised to have carcinogenic potential in humans or animals. For copyright reasons an extract from the list of threshold limit values cannot be published in the Official Report but I have placed a copy of the guidance note in the Library.

A directive of the Commission of the European Community establishing detailed guidance on how to label all dangerous chemicals, including carcinogens, is at present the subject of negotiations in Europe. It will be incorporated in the regulations proposed by the Health and Safety Commission in the consultative document which has already been issued.