§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all(a) pesticide residue levels and (b) levels of pesticide residue breakdown products he has set, indicating the level and type of food and the date when the levels were set; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerStatutory maximum residue levels (M RLs) for a range of pesticides used on the more important components of the United Kingdom diet are set out in the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations 1988, SI No. 1378, made on 1 August 1988. Schedule 1 of the regulations lists MRLs for cereals and products of animal origin and came into force on 2 August 1988. Schedule 2 lists MRLs mainly for fruit and vegetables and came into force on 31 December 1988. Schedule 3 lists the individual pesticides and describes how their residues are to be defined in terms of their metabolites or breakdown products.