§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn)Official Report, 6 December, column 822, if he will place in the Library (a) a list of the dates of the meetings held by the expert committee on organophosphates during the past 10 years, (b) copies of the minutes of daily meeting and (c) copies of all reports and recommendations drawn up by the committee; and what peer reviews of the committee's recommendation have been conducted. [11910]
§ Mr. HoramThe Veterinary Products Committee was established in 1970 under section 4 of the Medicines Act 1968. It meets generally every month except August. During the past 10 years, the committee has considered issues concerning OP veterinary medicinal products on a number of occasions, including the assessment of applications for authorisation for new products. As the committee considers these and other such matters which are commercially confidential, the minutes of its meetings are not published. An annual report for each advisory body established under the Medicines Act 1968, including the VPC, is, however, published in one volume each year and copies of this have been placed in the Library.
In March 1993, the VPC considered a request from my right hon. Friend the then Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for advice as to whether a moratorium on OP sheep dips would be appropriate. The Government's acceptance of the advice then given, and the details of that advice, were announced in reply to the hon. Member for West Dorset (Sir J. Spicer) on 1 April 1993, at columns 328-30. A MAFF news release No. 112/93, gave full details of the advice and a list of all the papers considered by the VPC. Copies of all the published and publicly available papers were placed in the Library at that time.
At its meeting in October 1993, the VPC again undertook a thorough examination of all the issues surrounding the use of OP sheep dips. The details of the committee's advice and the Government's response were then announced in reply to the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Sir Fry) on 1 December 1993, at columns 588-90. MAFF news release No. 424/93 gave full details, including a list of all the papers considered by the committee.
The Advisory Committee on Pesticides meets regularly—at least five times a year since 1987. Evaluation documents, which detail the findings of the committee on individual active substances, including OPs, are published and copies are placed in the Library. Copies of the ACP's annual reports are also placed in the Library. As the committee considers matters which are commercially confidential, the minutes of its meetings are not published.
Since the purpose of the VPC and the ACP is to provide scientific advice to Ministers and the committees do not publish papers, peer review of their work would not be appropriate.