§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the advisory committee on pesticides has completed its review of danminozide; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Mrs. Peacock) on 3 May at column124.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amounts of pesticides used each year since 1959.
§ Mr. RyderMy Department has conducted sample surveys since 1965 on the use of pesticides for agricultural and horticultural crop protection. Similar arrangements have applied in Scotland since 1975. These published surveys have considered only a few crops each year, so a complete annual picture is not available. However, overviews have also been published from time to time and the following are the calculated annual averages for the periods in question. The quantities given are the amounts of active ingredients in the substance applied.
64W
Estimates of annual use of pesticides for crop protection in agriculture and horticulture (Tonnes of active ingredients) England and Wales 1971–74 1975–79 1980–83 Insecticides 1,847 1,607 1,393 Fungicides 2,400 2,336 4,341 Herbicides 15,250 19,925 26,360 Others 2,565 1,629 3,439
Scotland 1975–79 1980–85 Insecticides — 152 97 Fungicides — 303 473 Herbicides — 4,415 4,852 Others — 21 72 For 1965–70 there are no overall data available. The cycle of surveys after 1983 (1985 for Scotland) is not yet complete.