HC Deb 15 November 1983 vol 48 cc391-2W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the advisory committee on pesticides has identified all those pesticides products which were safety approved by Industrial Bio Test Laboratories Inc. in the United States of America prior to the most recent proceedings on falsification of data; and what new studies have been undertaken in the United Kingdom on these products.

Mrs. Fenner

Reviews undertaken in 1978, and earlier this year, identified those products cleared under the pesticides safety precautions scheme for use in the United Kingdom whose notification was supported by IBT studies. In the few cases where invalid studies from that source formed a significant part of the total data package submitted over a number of years at various stages of product development and safety clearance, replacement studies have either been obtained and revalidated by the advisory committee, or are being obtained.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been carried out by the advisory committee on pesticides on the herbicide Dichlobenil.

Mrs. Fenner

The committee studied a package of medical and scientific data before Dichlobenil was first cleared for commercial use under the pesticides safety precautions scheme in the mid-1960s, and has monitored its safety in use since then.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he intends to ban the use of Chlorbromuron;

(2) what studies the advisory committee on pesticides has carried out on Chlorbromuron in the United Kingdom;

(3) whether he will review the use of Chlorbromuron as a weedkiller on crops of carrots, parsnips and potatoes;

(4) whether he will list those countries which have banned the use of Chlorbromuron.

Mrs. Fenner

The committee studied a package of medical and scientific data before Chlorbromuron was first cleared for commercial use under the pesticides safety precautions scheme in 1969. Subsequent monitoring has not established any grounds to warrant withdrawal of clearance, but as a further precaution, one toxicity study is currently being revalidated. Details of the clearance status of this herbicide in other countries are not readily available.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will list those countries who have banned the use of Propachlor;

(2) whether he will review the use of Propachlor as a weedkiller on crops of onions, leeks and cabbages in the United Kingdom;

(3) whether he intends to ban the use of Propachlor in the United Kingdom;

(4) what studies the advisory committee on pesticides has carried out on Propachlor in the United Kingdom.

Mrs. Fenner

The committee studied a package of medical and scientific data before Propachlor was first cleared for commercial use under the pesticides safety precautions scheme in 1967, and subsequent monitoring has established no evidence to warrant withdrawal of clearance. Details of the clearance status of the herbicide in other countries are not readily available.