§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether dipping contractors, owners of fewer than 50 sheep and employees of sheep farmers will be included in their recently commissioned epidemiological study into the chronic effects of exposure to organophosphate sheep dips.
Lord LucasThe study population for the research has not yet been chosen. The researchers propose to select randomly a wide range of farm sizes and types from areas where there is a relatively high density of sheep farming. Workers from local sheep-dipping contractors will be invited to participate. Control groups of workers from non-sheep farms and other non-farmers from the same broad geographical areas as the farms themselves will also be included.
§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place a copy of the protocol for their recently commissioned epidemiological study into the chronic effects of exposure to organophosphate sheep dips in the Library of the House.
Lord LucasA detailed background note on the research entitled,Epidemiological study to detect well-defined, pre-determined chronic effects, in humans, of dipping sheep with organophosphorus products was placed in the library of the House in October, when the contract was awarded to the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM). The contract with IOM contains a detailed description of how the research is to be carried out. Disclosure of the research procedures at this stage could alert the intended study population and thereby bias the findings of the research. It would therefore be contrary to the proper and efficient conduct of operations to disclose these matters (Exemption 7b of the code of practice on access to government information). Moreover, the contents of the contract, which contain detailed costings as well as the research specification, are commercially confidential. IOM has not agreed to the release of this information and it would therefore be wrong for me to authorise disclosure (see Exemptions 13 of the code of practice).