§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to minimise exposure of pregnant women to chemicals, including pesticides, that have the potential to disrupt endocrine systems. [38131]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department contributes to Government procedures for risk assessment and setting exposure limits for chemicals used in various areas. These procedures aim to protect the public, including pregnant women and the foetus. They include the approval of pesticide products following consideration of the advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides.
The Department, together with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Health and Safety Executive, and the European Chemical Industries Council, the Department is funding a £1.7 million research programme of epidemiological studies to investigate trends in male reproductive health, and the possible influences of occupational or environmental (or other) exposure to chemicals. The programme includes evaluation of effects of maternal exposures on the male foetus. Results from the four studies in the programme are expected to be available by the end of this year.
The Department also participates in European risk assessments of chemicals; has contributed to the development of the European Commission Community Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters; and is contributing to a comprehensive assessment (through the World Health Organisation's International Programme on Chemical Safety) of the state of the science on endocrine disruption. In addition it supports the leading role which the United Kingdom plays in the test guidelines programme of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which aims to ensure that the harmonised test methods used internationally reflect best practical approaches for assessing the health effects of chemicals. This includes an active role in the work of the OECD Endocrine Disrupter Testing and Assessment Group which is taking forward the validation of new methods for detecting compounds with such properties.
1013WFurther information on this issue, and on Government action, is in the note "Hormone (Endocrine) Disrupting Substances in the Environment" at http://www.defra.gov.uk/nvironment/hormone/index.htm
As the assessments progress and further scientific evidence becomes available, the Government, together with our European partners, will evaluate whether further action to limit exposure to chemicals is required.