§ Mr. Ronnie CampbellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he gives on the use of chemicals to control aphis gossypii; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesThe melon and cotton aphid—Aphis gossypii—has become a significant problem in some edible and ornamental glasshouse crops because of its ability to develop resistance to certain chemical pesticides. The Agricultural Development Advisory Service advises growers that effective chemical control is possible by the approved use of nicotine aphicides. Non-chemical controls, such as the controlled use of predatory and parasitic organisms, have also proved to be effective for some crops. The Ministry and the Horticultural Development Council are currently funding a number of research projects aimed at improving and developing such biological controls.
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make representations to the pesticide industry to ensure that compensation is paid to victims of drinking water contaminated with atrazine and simazine.
§ Mr. SoamesThe independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides concluded in May that levels of atrazine and simazine found in water do not endanger the health of consumers at the concentrations found in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the chief inspector of the drinking water inspectorate, in his report for 1991, concluded that the amounts of pesticides ingested in drinking water were far smaller than the amounts which are known to be harmful or likely to cause harm. There is, therefore, no justification for representations of the kind suggested.