§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide a list of the organo-chlorine pesticides which are approved for use in agriculture, horticulture and forestry under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986, together with details of the specific uses for which such approval has been granted.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIt has been the policy of successive United Kingdom Governments to phase out the use of persistent organochlorine compounds when more suitable alternatives become available.
DDT, dieldrin and endrin no longer have any approved uses in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Of the two remaining persistent organochlorines aldrin is only permitted for three minor agricultural uses—as a bulb dip to control narcissus fly, as a dust on compost to control vine weevil on ornamentals and for the control of wireworm on potatoes in former pasture — and chlordane may only be used as a treatment against worms on turf and lawns. These uses are kept under continuous review and will be replaced as soon as more suitable alternatives become available.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in relation to the pesticide DDT, he will (a) give his estimate of the amount of DDT which is still held on farms in the United Kingdom, (b) make arrangements for the collection and safe disposal of any remaining stocks of DDT on farms in the United Kingdom and (c) issue advice to farmers on the safe disposal of any remaining stocks of DDT on farms in the United Kingdom; when he expects to produce a revised version of MAFF booklet 2198 on guidelines for the disposal of unwanted pesticides and containers on farms and holdings; and whether the revised booklet will be made available throughout the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.