§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what advice the Nature Conservancy Council gives to householders or wood treatment companies regarding the treatment of timbers in roof spaces with the pesticide Lindane where bats may be present;
346W(2) what studies his Department has made, plans, or is aware of, regarding the effects of the pesticide Lindane on bats in roof spaces;
(3) in which European countries Lindane is banned or restricted for use in treating timbers in occupied buildings.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Nature Conservancy Council recommends the use of synthetic pyrethroids such as permethrim and cypermethrin when timber preservation problems arise in houses where bats are present. Tests have shown that these to be as effective in controlling woodworm as the more common chemicals while remaining relatively harmless to bats.
Research undertaken by the Vincent Wildlife Trust at Aberdeen university, which indicates that Lindane is lethal to bats, has been of great assistance to the Nature Conservancy Council in formulating its advice given to householders and timber treatments companies. Lindane has been cleared for use within Great Britain under the pesticide safety precautions scheme but information regarding use within other European countries is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.