Breast Cancer (Hansard, 15 December 1994)

§ Ms Corston
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the rate of breast cancer in Israel following the banning of the use of lindane; and if she will make a statement.

§ Mr. Sackville
In the 1970s, Israel had a high level of breast cancer compared to other countries. This fell during the period 1976 to 1986. Researchers and scientists in Israel suggested that a cause might be the withdrawal of louse powder containing lindane, used on cattle: they noted that before 1986 the Israeli population had been exposed to very high levels of lindane in milk. Levels reported in milk in Israel were up to 1,200 times higher than the highest residues observed in the United Kingdom as reported in the 1993 annual report of the working party on pesticide residues, copies of which are available in the Library.

§ Ms Corston
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research projects she has commissioned which are investigating the links between exposure to lindane and the incidence of breast cancer; and if she will list them.

§ Mr. Sackville
None. The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to support on its own expert judgement. The Department of Health expert committee on carcinogenicity has been asked to advise on any relationship between organochlorines, including lindane, and breast cancer when it next meets in March 1995, and will consider the latest available research.

§ Ms Corston
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has made to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food concerning the banning of lindane.

§ Mr. Sackville
The approval and review of pesticides is the joint responsibility of six Government Departments, including the Department of Health. Ministers are advised by a body of independent experts, the Advisory778W Committee on Pesticides. This committee last reviewed the non-agricultural uses of lindane in 1992. It found a very substantial body of evidence indicating that lindane presents no unacceptable risk to human health when used in accordance with statutory directions. Furthermore, there was no epidemiological evidence to suggest that lindane causes an increased risk of cancer, even among those who work with the compound. It therefore advised that approvals should continue.
The Advisory Committee on Pesticides is currently reviewing lindane's agricultural uses and its review should be completed by spring 1995. Additionally, the Department of Health expert committee on carcinogenicity will consider the latest available research on any relationship between organochlorines, including lindane, and breast cancer, when it next meets in March 1995.