§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the effect of organophosphorus on human beings.
§ Mr. SoamesAs part of the current review of pharmaceutical veterinary medicinal products to ensure that up-to-date standards on safety are met, and following recommendations from the independent Veterinary Products Committee to the licensing authority, the companies that manufacture organophosphorus (op) sheep dips have been asked to carry out some further work on the effects of these products. This will include blood tests on farm operators, providing details of protective clothing worn, and studies to show which areas of the bodies of operators are most exposed. In addition, the veterinary medicines directorate is continuing to fund work by the national poisons unit as a follow-up to its recent report on cases of sheep dip exposure.
Furthermore, the Health and Safety Executive is currently funding research into the possible chronic neuropsychological and neurological effects of occupational exposure to ops and is also carrying out a detailed occupational hygiene assessment of sheep dip working practices and processes.