§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to inform schools involved in the national school fruit scheme about the advice from the Chief Medical Officer, issued in 1997 and 1998, about pesticide residues and the peeling of fruit and vegetables. [147043]
§ Yvette CooperFruit for the national school fruit scheme (NSFS) will be sourced from growers whose produce is grown according to the principles of integrated crop management, where pesticide inputs are minimised. In the case of United Kingdom fruit, only that from producers who meet the standards of the assured produce scheme will be used. Imported fruit used by the scheme will be required to meet similar standards.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) was established in April 2000 to protect public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food, including risks caused by the way in which it is produced or supplied, and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food. We have consulted the FSA extensively on the detail of the NSFS including details on the preparation of the fruit. The FSA and Chief Medical Officer have approved the development of the NSFS, and in particular the FSA has advised that it would not agree to the use of any pesticide if fruit or vegetables treated with it have to be washed or peeled to make them safe to eat.
568WThe Chief Medical Officer's original precautionary advice about washing and peeling fruit and vegetables was issued in 1997 in the light of research and surveillance on pesticide residues conducted at the time. The long-standing advice to wash fruit before consumption is to ensure that it is clean, and this still holds. However, the situation with pesticides has moved on and many of the pesticides of particular concern have been withdrawn or are undergoing review.
The FSA is currently considering up-to-date advice on washing and peeling fruit and vegetables, and will be consulting the Government's independent advisory committee on pesticides.