§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly, of 27 June,Official Report, column 446, what exemptions on account of age apply to regulations on the handling of certain pesticides.
§ Mr. RyderIn clarification of the reply given on 27 June the only exemption on account of age applies to people born before 1965 who are not required to hold an appropriate certificate of competence when using pesticides on their own land or on their employer's land. The requirement to hold an appropriate certificate of competence when providing a commercial service applies regardless of age.
Age does not exempt anyone from the general obligation on users of pesticides to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health of people, creatures and plants and to safeguard the environment. In addition, anyone using pesticides in their business or employment must have had adequate instruction and guidance so as to be competent in what they are doing.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those pesticides cleared for use in Britain under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; and what percentage these form of the total number of pesticides currently approved for use in Britain.
§ Mr. RyderAll pesticides currently approved for use in the United Kingdom have been approved under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. A list of approved products is published annually and is available in the Library of the House.
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§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his Department's scientists are currently engaged in reviewing pesticides under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 procedures.
§ Mr. RyderIt is not possible to give a precise figure, as explained in my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 23 March at column726.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many older pesticides he expects to be reviewed by(a) the end of 1989, (b) the end of 1990, (c) the end of 1994 and (d) the end of 1999; and if he will make a statement.