§ Lord Lipseyasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the report by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment on the human health implications of organophosphates will be published. [HL104]
§ Baroness HaymanThe Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) published its report on organophosphates (OPs) on 26 November 1999.
The Government welcome this thorough and timely report. We have always made clear that we take very seriously the concerns expressed about the safety of organophosphate compounds. In response to those concerns, we pledged that we would subject the scientific evidence to the most rigorous and transparent scrutiny. This was why we asked the Committee on Toxicity (COT) to undertake this in-depth review.
As announced when the review was set up, the Veterinary Products Committee, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and the Committee on Safety of Medicines have been asked to give their advice on the implications of the COT report to Ministers. We will publish this advice and our response to it as soon as possible.
Copies of the COT report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.