HC Deb 13 March 1990 vol 169 cc148-9W
Mr. Colvin

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to limit the use of the chemical Atrazine by British Rail on railway tracks.

Mr. Portillo

I understand that the use of herbicides containing Atrazine is an effective way of preventing weed growth on the railway tracks. British Rail regularly review the methods used by other railway organisations and conduct trials with other methods, but has not found any other as effective.