Pesticides (Hansard, 24 October 1988)

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the research departments and scientific bodies consulted by him in matters of agricultural pesticides and their effect on human consumption and on wildlife and water.

§ Mr. Ryder
Ministers have a statutory duty under section 16(9) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 to consult the advisory committee on pesticides. Its membership is listed in its annual reports (published by HMSO) along with the Departments and agencies which assist it by the nomination of assessors.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if co-ordination exists on a regular basis between his Department and its European counterparts in matters of pollution caused by pesticides and similar matters regarding(a) research and (b) proposals for common policies and action.

§ Mr. Ryder
The Department of the Environment has primary responsibility for co-ordination within the European Community on matters of pollution.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last received a comprehensive report about agricultural pesticides and their effect on human consumption and on wildlife.

§ Mr. Ryder
I believe that the hon. Member is referring to the general reports of the working party on pesticides residues. The last of these was published in March 1986 and the next will be published early next year. Where appropriate I also receive reports of the results of the individual monitoring exercises which are recorded in the general report.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times and when the different institutions of the European Community(a) discussed the subject of environmental pollution produced by the use of pesticides, especially dieldrene, in farming activities and (b) discussed proposals aimed at controlling or establishing specific limits to the use of pesticides in farming and dieldrene in particular; and what the position of the United Kingdom and of each of the other member countries was in each of such discussions.

§ Mr. Ryder
My Department is responsible for discussions within the European Community on the prohibition of "plant protection products", that is pesticides used in agriculture, and on the presence of much pesticides in food. All member states, including the United Kingdom, have implemented directive 79/117 which prohibited plant protection use of dieldrin. In this context all member states, including the United Kingdom, supported proposals to set residue limits for dieldrin which preclude its use.