§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
In what ways the information requested from agrochemical companies on adverse human health data in the current Pesticides Safety Directorate, Questionnaire on possible effects of pesticides on human health, is additional to that already required which all approval holders have to submit on dangerous effects immediately under the Control of Pesticides Regulations, under Section 16(11) of the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 and under regulation 21(l) of the Plant Protection Products Regulations. [HL1580]
169WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)The questionnaire is aimed at ensuring that the obligations already set out under the Food and Environmental Protection Act and the Plant Protection Products Regulations are fully complied with.
Section 16(11) of the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 grants Ministers general powers to require the submission of information about pesticides. In order to ensure that data on adverse health effects is obtained, all approvals granted under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (as amended) include a specific requirement that any information obtained regarding adverse health effects be submitted promptly by the approval holder to the Pesticides Safety Directorate to consider.
In addition, regulation 14(1) of the Plant Protection Products Regulations 2003 requires that the holder of any approval granted under those regulations must immediately notify the Pesticides Safety Directorate of any information on potentially adverse effects.
The purpose of the questionnaire is to seek reassurance that information on adverse effects is being fully reported as required.