§ 30. Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Voluntary Initiative on pesticides use [81236]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government are committed to reducing the environmental impacts of pesticides. To this end, the Government have invited industry to implement a package of measures, under the badge of the "Voluntary Initiative". These measures are designed to deliver real environmental benefits over a five year period, commencing in April 2001.
Year 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 planned Number of samples tested 3,371 3,742 3,230 3,449 2,648 2,187 2,374 2,304 4,003 4,000 The surveys cover fruit and vegetables, cereal products, animal products and miscellaneous items such as bottled water or composite foods like baby foods. But otherwise, the commodities tested vary from year to year. Samples of both imported and UK origin produce are tested. The 2001 survey generated results for over 130,000 pesticide commodity combinations.
The detailed results of the PRC's monitoring (and its predecessor the Working Party on Pesticide Residues (WPPR)) (including the commodities tested) have been published and can be viewed on the relevant websites:
www.pesticides.gov.uk/committees/PRC/prc.htm (PRC results)
www.pesticides.gov.uk/committees/WPPR/wppr.htm (WPPR results)
These electronic results go back as far as 1996. Hard copies going back to 1992 are available in the House Library.
The Department is also responsible for surveillance for veterinary residues. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) of Defra runs two surveillance schemes that look for residues of authorised veterinary medicines and banned substances. In total, over 35,000 samples are collected per annum. All of the results are published quarterly in the VMD's newsletter and annually since 1996 in a report on surveillance and previously in the VMD's Annual Report and Accounts. Copies of the Annual Reports are available in the House Library or the VMD's website www.vmd.gov.uk.
The main, statutory, scheme collects samples from farms and abattoirs from throughout the UK and covers: red meat, poultry, farmed fish, eggs, farmed and wild game, milk and honey.
286WThe Government are closely monitoring progress on implementing the Voluntary Initiative. The Government hope that the initiative will produce results and urge farmers, growers and their advisers and suppliers to give it their full support. If the Voluntary Initiative does not produce tangible environmental benefits, the Government will need to take other action. One option would be a pesticides tax, which the Government believe could be a useful tool in conjunction with other measures.
§ Mr. Roger WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many food samples by type were tested for pesticide and other residues in each of the last 10 years. [81585]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) conducts an annual pesticide residues surveillance programme for fruit and vegetables and other produce. This programme is now overseen by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC).
The number of samples tested in each of the last 10 years is indicated in the table.
The second scheme complements the statutory scheme and concentrates on raw imported produce and samples of popular processed foods collected from shops.
The two surveillance schemes are subject to independent scrutiny from the Veterinary Residues Committee, which was established in January 2001. Prior to that, the Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues oversaw the work.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for pesticide residues and veterinary residues. Other food residues are a matter for the Food Standards Agency, who also takes the lead in monitoring food products for environmental contaminants.