HC Deb 21 July 2004 vol 424 c366W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which Pesticides Safety Directorate and Health and Safety Executive approved pesticides and biocides there are no assays for biological samples in human poisoning cases held by the NHS. [184451]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) does hold analysis methods for many of the active ingredients contained in the products licensed by them as pesticides.

There are currently no biocides approved by the Health and Safety Executive under the biocidal products directive.

Pesticide assays for biological samples are not offered routinely by most national health service laboratories. Assays for paraquat are available from a selected group of NHS laboratories. In exceptional circumstances, NHS laboratories are able to test for other compounds.

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