§ Mr. Johnasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the next annual report of the advisory committee on pesticides.
§ Mrs. FennerThe decision has only recently been taken to provide an annual report of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides following the recommendation of the Seventh report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. The intention is to provide a greater public understanding of the committee's work. The first report will be published in 1985 relating to the calendar year 1984.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the introduction of a common national framework for improving standards of competence among all who apply pesticides; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerThe Government have felt it appropriate to delay discussions on the creation of a common national framework for improving standards of competence in pesticide application until the present enabling legislation 105W is in place, since it may have some effect on the status to be awarded to certificates of competence and other matters.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the advisory committee on pesticides has completed its examination of the usage of organochlorines in the non-agricultural sector; and what conclusions it has reached.
§ Mrs. FennerThe remaining uses of persistent organochlorine pesticides are kept under continuing review so that, in keeping with Government policy, they can be phased out when satisfactory alternatives become available.
It has not yet been possible for the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to undertake a comprehensive review of all the non-agricultural uses of persistent organochlorines, but individual pesticide uses have been reviewed and are withdrawn where appropriate. Thus all the wood preservation uses of dieldrin other than for industrial pre-treatment are being withdrawn with effect from 31 December 1984.