§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been allocated by her Department in each of the last 10 years for monitoring and inspecting levels of pesticide residue in food.
§ Mr. SoamesThe costs of monitoring for pesticide residues carried out by the Government's working party on pesticide residues over the last 10 years are as follows:
798W
£ million 1992–93 2.1 1991–92 1.9 1990–91 1.8
£ million 1989–90 1.5 1988–89 0.9 1987–88 0.7 1986–87 0.55 1985–86 10.5 1984–85 10.5 1983–84 10.5 1 Approximately
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make it her policy to adopt a target for reducing pesticide use in the United Kingdom by 50 per cent. by 2,000.
§ Mr. SoamesNo. Government policy is to ensure that pesticide use is limited to the minimum necessary for the effective control of pests compatible with the protection of human health and the environment. As I informed the hon. Member in my answer of 26 May 1993, columns597–98, this policy is pursued through the approvals process and our research programme. The tonnage of pesticide applied in England and Wales between 1980 and 1990 fell by 21 per cent. There is also increasing evidence that users are seeking to use reduced application rates where possible, building on the results of research findings.