§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which uses of dieldrin are likely to be approved once the Food and Environment Protection Bill becomes law.
§ Mrs. Fenner[pursuant to her reply, 16 July 1985]: Currently dieldrin has clearance under the pesticides safety precautions scheme for use as an insecticidal lacquer in food storage and for the industrial pre-treatment of timber. With the introduction of statutory controls, all current clearances of pesticides and their uses will be reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. I cannot prejudge what advice will be given in respect of any individual chemical or its uses. It has, however, been a principle of Government policy for some years to phase out organochlorine and organomercury compounds as less persistent, efficacious alternatives become available.
§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what levels of dieldrin were found by the analyses carried out upon the dead herons found on the River Avon near Evesham; and if he will report on the efforts made to locate the source of this pollution.
§ Mrs. Fenner[pursuant to her reply, 16 July 1985]: MAFF laboratory analyses of two heron carcases found on the River Avon near Evesham have revealed dieldrin levels of 19 mg/kg and 54 mg/kg respectively. Residues of DDE and PCBs have also been confirmed.
The sampling programme being carried out by the Severn Trent water authority to determine the source of the residues has yet to be completed.