HC Deb 05 March 1997 vol 291 cc681-2W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the

£000
1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92
Swine fever — 458 277 — — — —
Fowl plague — — — — — — 6
Foot and mouth — — — — — — —
Brucellosis 1,588 464 74 60 307 22 11
TB 231 218 298 336 462 864 496
TB in deer — — — — 169 116 8

validity of the level of pesticide and fertiliser use as an indicator of sustainability. [18451]

Mrs. Browning

The level of pesticide use in terms of tonnage applied or number of spray applications is not a good indicator of sustainability. Several hundred different chemicals are approved as pesticides. Each has a different environmental impact and the relative impact of different chemicals may not be closely related to the amount used.

Similarly the amount of fertiliser used is not a good indicator of environmental impact. The timing and method of application also affect the efficiency with which nutrients are taken up and hence the amounts released into the environment.

Plans to develop and improve the indicators already published in "Indicators of Sustainable Development for the United Kingdom", which include indicators on nutrients and pesticides, were published in "Rural England 1966".

Mr. Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the potential of economic instruments for achieving sustainability with regard to pesticide and fertiliser use. [18450]

Mrs. Browning

The Government intend shortly to issue a discussion paper on the options for using economic instruments, including instruments for pesticides and fertilisers, to achieve water protection policy objectives.