§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has conducted into the pesticide lindane in relation to breast cancer.
§ Mrs. BrowningThe Ministry has not conducted specific research on lindane in relation to breast cancer. However, the independent advisory committee on pesticides has reviewed a very substantial body of evidence on the toxicology of lindane in the course of a recent review of its non-agricultural uses. The committee concluded that the approved non-agricultural uses represent no unacceptable risk to human health. The committee is currently reviewing the agricultural uses of lindane. The relevant evidence will be studied in the course of this review. The Department of Health committee on carcinogenicity will be looking into the relationship between organochlorine pesticides, which include lindane, and breast cancer in March 1995. However, most of the data which will be considered relates to another organochlorine, DDT.