§ Mr. HoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all publications from his Department on pesticides used in the agricultural industry.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 16 June 1988]: My Department produces jointly with the Health and 349W Safety Executive "Pesticides 1988" which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. This lists all pesticides approved for sale in the United Kingdom under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Her Majesty's Stationery Office also publishes the annual reports of the advisory committee on pesticides and reports of the working party on pesticide residues.
The Ministry itself publishes leaflets about the Control of Pesticides Regulations and related information, and draft codes of practice on the use and storage of pesticides. We also publish from time to time circular letters and consultation documents on specific aspects of the developing statutory controls, such as residues, off-label approvals and evaluations of new pesticide active ingredients.
Other information on pesticides is included within the many publications available to farmers and growers from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. I have arranged for lists of these, and copies of the specific publications I have mentioned to be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. HoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the expenditure of his Department on research into the effects of pesticides on meat products; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 16 June 1988]: Pesticides are approved for use only when it has been established that such use will not lead to harmful residues in food, including animal products. The working party on pesticide residues monitors for residues in animal products as part of its ongoing surveillance programme. In addition, my Department is undertaking research relating specifically to residues in beef, milk and sheepmeat at a cost of £58,000 per annum. Other work costing £279,000 per annum and relating to crops which may be used in animal feedstuffs also has some relevance.