§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts regarding the revocation of licences for the use of(a) carbofuran and (b) chlorfenvinphos; and if she will make a statement. [20663]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 4 December 2001]: Under EU rules the UK is not obliged to inform other member states of any national review programme of pesticide products undertaken to address national issues. However, all member states and the Commission were informed of the UK programme to review organophosphate compounds which included carbofuran and chlorfenvinphos. In addition, all are automatically informed of any new product approvals and revocations. The separate European programme intends to review all active substances used in plant protection products within the community and all member states and the Commission are involved in this decision-making process.
The approval holders for carbofuran and chlorfenvinphos chose not to submit supporting data for their products under the UK review and therefore these products will not be available in the UK after 31 December 2001. Under the European review programme carbofuran has been supported so far although its continued use will depend upon the assessment of the data submitted. Chlorfenvinphos has not been supported. The impact of the European regime will not be felt until 2003 when all the compounds not supported by companies anticipating extensive data requirements will be withdrawn.
Member states, can however, carry out their own review exercises and carry them out at different times to the European review. In this case, the UK 920W organophosphate review was introduced to address public concerns about the safety of these compounds and we have acted in a consistent manner to revoke their use where appropriate. However, the impact of the loss of these products is not underestimated and officials will continue to do everything possible to help the trade and user groups.