§ Mr. Lathamasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on his proposals for the implementation within the county of Leicestershire of the Pesticides Regulations 1986; how many inspections of testers will be needed before the operative starting date; how many inspectors have been appointed; and how many of them are full-time.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe effective implementation of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 is being achieved in stages. The regulations began to come into effect on 6 October and further measures will apply between now and 1 January 1989.
To assist implementation, we have embarked upon a policy of education allied to enforcement. My Department has so far issued an explanatory leaflet about the new controls and, in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive, the book "Pesticides 1986" listing all the approved products. We have also prepared and circulated in draft codes of practice on the storage, supply and sale of pesticides and on their use and plan to bring these into effect next year.
187WFor the purposes of enforcement in England, I have so far authorised 72 officers from my Department to enforce part III of the Act; 11 authorised ADAS officers are located in the Ministry's midlands and western region, which includes Leicestershire, and two of them deal with that county on a day-to-day basis.
Looking ahead to more comprehensive enforcement in the future I have invited the Health and Safety Commission to make the necessary arrangements and details of the relevant agency agreement are under consideration by them. My officials are also at the moment consulting the local authority associations, with a view to authorising local authority trading standards and environmental health officers to enforce part III of the Act at an early date.