HL Deb 16 December 1999 vol 608 cc63-4WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the suspected adverse reactions to organophosphate sheep dips reported to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate indicated the onset of symptoms before the end of 1992 and after that date; and whether any of the reports involved children. [HL322]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)

A bar chart of human suspected reactions (SARs) to organophosphorus sheep dips showing the year of the onset of symptoms has been published in the report of the meetings in 1998 of the Appraisal Panel for Human Suspected Adverse Reactions. A copy of the report is in the Library of the House. There are approximately four times as many reports recording the onset of symptoms up to the end of 1992 than after that date. From 1984 to date there have been 18 reports of suspected adverse reactions to OP sheep dips which concern persons under the age of 18.