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Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Answer

Angela Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) evaluated into the health risks associated with lindane. [127816] Ms Quin: Under both UK and EU pesticides legislation the responsibility for undertaking research into the health risks lies with the companies who market the pesticides. Lindane is presently under review in both the UK and EU programmes. Both reviews have required the submission of data and research studies by companies wishing to support the compound. In the Eu review, 562 studies were submitted on, among other things, the compound's identity; physical and chemical properties; classification; methods of analysis; toxicology and metabolism; and residues data. I have arranged for a copy of the EU's list of tests and studies to be placed in the House Libraries. Much of the data submitted for the EU review of lindane have also been submitted under the UK review along with a further 30 studies relating to operator exposure to lindane when treating seed. These are listed in our evaluation on the review of lindane which I have also placed in the Libraries. Until recently the UK and EU reviews of lindane have been running in tandem. Under the UK review the Government have moved swiftly to ban those uses of lindane in this country which posed an unacceptable risk. At EU level the Commission has just produced a proposal to withdraw the agricultural uses of lindane as insufficient data have been submitted to support its continued use for these purposes. The Government have supported and welcome this development.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

127816; 354 c474-5W

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Chemicals Health hazards EU action Pesticides Research Lindane

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk