§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pesticides approved for use prior to 1986 have been reviewed since that date; of those, how many have been rejected on review or had approvals restricted; and how many have not been reviewed. [35557]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: Approvals for agricultural and garden pesticides are issued by MAFF's Pesticides Safety Directorate. Approvals for other pesticides are issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Sixty-nine of the pesticide active ingredients approved by MAFF in 1986 have since been reviewed of which nine have had all their approvals revoked and 47 have had new restrictions imposed.
The remaining 323 ingredients have yet to be reviewed. However, 129 of these had been withdrawn from the market by the end of 1997. The number of active ingredients on the market in 1986, still on the market at the end of 1997 and not yet reviewed, was therefore 194.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what volume of agricultural pesticides was seized by inspectors during 1997; what volume was destroyed; and how many separate incidents this represented. [35561]
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§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]MAFF inspectors are empowered to seize pesticides and destroy them under Regulation 7 of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (as amended). No pesticides were seized or destroyed using these powers during 1997.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many requests were made to his Department during 1997 to obtain evaluation documents on pesticides; and how many requests were made to view the underlying data. [35563]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) maintains a list of individuals and organisations to whom all evaluation documents are sent as they are issued. At the end of 1997, there were 47 names on this list. In addition, PSD dealt with 98 one-off requests for evaluation documents during 1997. There were 7 requests to see underlying data.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost to his Department of providing information to the public about agricultural pesticides; and what is the mechanism for recovering these costs from the public. [35558]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: The cost of providing information to the public about agricultural pesticides is borne by the Department and, certain publication charges apart is not recovered from the public. An estimate of the cost of provision of this service cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scientific information he uses to specify maximum pesticide levels in crops, food and feeding stuffs. [35560]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: Two key types of study are used to specify maximum residue levels (MRLs) in crops. First, metabolism studies in the relevant crop are used to identify the chemical nature and fate of the residue. Second, residue trials are conducted according to Good Agricultural Practice to establish the highest residue level occurring in the crop when the pesticide product is used as intended. Cross checks are made with toxicological studies to establish that the MRL proposed is safe for consumers. If it would not, then that proposed use of pesticide would not be approved.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each pesticide approved for use in agriculture, horticulture and food industries where the specified maximum residue level is(a) above, (b) the same as and (c) below that recommended by CODEX. [35562]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: There are some 10,500 MRLs established in the UK in the Pesticides (Maximum Residue levels in Crops, Food and Feedingstuffs) Regulations 1994 (as amended). There are about 1,000 Codex maximum residue levels (MRLs) in place. Where corresponding UK and Codex MRLs are both in place, generally the UK MRL is lower.
More detailed information would be available only at disproportionate cost.
A full list of Codex MRLs is published in the Codex Alimentarius Volume 2b. ISBN No. 92–5–003821–6.
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§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the cost to the agrochemical industry of providing information to the public under the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985. [35559]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 20 March 1998]: The costs of providing information to the public under the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 is borne by the Department. No charge for this work is passed to the agrochemical industry.