§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to improve the efficiency of the pesticide unit at Harpenden.
§ Mr. MacleanProcedural changes and closer contacts with other national regulatory bodies conducting reviews of old chemicals are being implemented aimed at speeding up the evaluation of pesticides and minimising duplication of effort. Scientific and administrative staff have received special pay awards designed to encourage recruitment and retention. In addition, outside consultants have been asked to study the benefits of installing a suitable new information technology system and the use of independent consultants to evaluate certain data is being explored.