§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to(a) restrict and (b) prevent the use of warfarin for pest control. [66083]
§ Mr. RookerWarfarin is presently permitted in the UK for specified pest control uses under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. However, it also falls within the scope of the emerging EU regulatory regimes for plant protection products and biocidal products.
390WThe plant protection uses of warfarin are being reviewed by the EU Commission as part of a programme that will eventually cover all compounds used in such products. The rules for the review programme put the onus on companies, wishing to continue to market such products, to provide data to address possible risks to people and the environment. Despite several opportunities, we understand that no company has yet provided and adequate data package for warfarin. The Commission are therefore likely to propose the restriction or removal of plant protection uses of warfarin and the Government would be minded to support such a step. We are, however, aware of the implications for the forestry sector; the Forestry Commission is encouraging manufacturers to provide data and is urgently researching alternative control methods.
This would not have any direct implication for the use of warfarin to protect public health as opposed to crops. The Biocidal Products Directive applies to public health products and, although these will be reviewed in due course, that review is not yet under way.