§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government are undertaking a comprehensive study of the effects of pesticide residues in food; and if she will make a statement. [18212]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department works closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on all matters concerning pesticide residues in food. Ministers are advised on this subject by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) which oversees a wide-ranging surveillance programme. The results from this programme are published quarterly on the committee's website at www.pestic ides.gov.uk
There has been some specific concern over the potential combined effects of pesticide residues and at the request of the FSA, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), a group of independent experts, established a Working Group for the Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Pesticides/Veterinary Medicines (WIGRAMP).
The working group is now in the process of preparing a draft report. It is hoped to issue the draft report for consultation early in 2002 and to hold a further open meeting before the report is passed to the COT for their consideration. The FSA are aiming to publish the finalised report in early summer 2002. The minutes of working group meetings and other information concerning the group can be found through the FSA website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/committees/cot