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To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has identified potential risks to human health from the use of products containing tea tree oil; and if he will make a statement on EU proposals to stop the sale of such products.

Asked by

Charles Hendry (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

23 March 2005

For answer on

7 April 2005

Answered on

7 April 2005

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has identified potential risks to human health from the use of products containing tea tree oil; and if he will make a statement on EU proposals to stop the sale of such products. [224138] Miss Melanie Johnson: [holding answer 4 April 2005]: The major risk identified from the use of consumer products containing tea tree oil comes from the sensitising potential of concentrated (greater than 2 per cent.) solutions, particularly if the product has been exposed to oxygen, sunlight or higher temperatures. However, the European Scientific Committee on consumer products has advised that the data available are currently insufficient to assess the potential risk of a range of toxic effects. The Committee requested that a complete package of data be provided in order for them to give an opinion on the potential risks. The conclusions will then be used to amend the cosmetics directive in order to make any restrictions on the use of tea tree oil in cosmetic products legally enforceable. In the meantime, industry has advised that tea tree oil should only be used in cosmetic products at concentrations at or below 1 per cent., and should be formulated and packaged in a way to minimise degradation. 15 medicinal products containing tea tree oil, licensed under medicines legislation, are available in the United Kingdom. There may be other medicines that contain tea tree oil, which currently reach the market as unlicensed herbal remedies. These will potentially qualify to be registered under Directive 2004/24/EC when it is implemented on 30 October this year. To qualify for registration, products will have to demonstrate that they comply with the required evidence of traditional usage and that they meet the required standards of safety and quality. As with all medicines, the safety of medicinal products containing tea tree oil is closely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. There are no safety concerns specific to the medicinal use of tea tree oil but all effective treatments may cause unwanted side effects in some patients, which may be the result of individual sensitivity to the medicine concerned.

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1717-8W;432 c1712-3W; 224138

House

House of Commons

The handling of detainees by UK intelligence personnel in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and Iraq. Government response to the Intelligence an Security Committee report (Cm 6469)

Type

Select Committee reports (Government responses); Command papers

Notes

Blair/Tony written statement 07.04.2005

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

Cm 6511

House

House of Commons

Minutes of proceedings of Modernisation of the House Select Committee, session 2004/05.

Type

Select Committee reports; House of Commons papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Modernisation Committee

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

HC 529 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Statutory Instruments Joint Select Committee. Minutes of proceedings for session 2004/05.

Type

Select Committee reports; House of Commons papers; House of Lords papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

HC 540 2004/05; HL 113 2004/05

House

House of Lords; House of Commons

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to increase the number of trees in London; and whether, he has met (a) the Mayor, (b) the London boroughs and (c) his Department's ministers to discuss this.

Asked by

Baroness Teather (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

10 March 2005

For answer on

21 March 2005

Answered on

21 March 2005

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to increase the number of trees in London; and whether, he has met (a) the Mayor, (b) the London boroughs and (c) his Department's ministers to discuss this. [221945] Keith Hill: The London Tree and Woodland Framework Consultation Document was launched in July 2004, produced by the London Woodland Advisory Group which includes Government Office for London, Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Forestry Commission (FC). Consultation involved a wide range of London stakeholders, and as key members of the Advisory Group the Mayor and officials from the GLA were closely involved in drawing up proposals in the framework, while boroughs through the London Tree Officers Association were key consultees. The Government plan to launch the Tree and Woodland Framework for London shortly. The document will provide a firm commitment by a wide partnership of London bodies including the GLA and the FC to maintain and enhance London's trees and woodlands as a vital part of the environment and will establish priority locations for new tree planting, taking into account such factors as levels of social deprivation, transport corridors and gateways, derelict land, biodiversity objectives, areas of regeneration and community forests. The `million trees campaign' which is managed by Trees for London, supported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the FC, was initiated in September 2003. This project involves a London-wide partnership to plant one million new trees in London by 2010. To date this has already achieved a total of 330,000 trees. The work of the FC and Thames Chase Community Forest has also resulted in substantial areas of new planting with full public access in the North East of London. This project has been supported by the Government's Capital Modernisation Fund and work to extend the forest will continue. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are also actively involved in the Greening the Gateway partnership which is the shared environmental vision for the Thames Gateway London. I am in regular contact with the Mayor and London boroughs on environmental issues.

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

432 c582W; 221945

House

House of Commons

Financial auditing and reporting 2003-04: general report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Type

House of Commons papers

Notes

Received 23.03.05

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

HC 366 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Crossrail Bill. Explanatory Notes Bill 62-EN also published.

Member

Lord Darling of Roulanish (Labour)

Department

Department for Transport

Type

Hybrid bills

Date

22 February 2005

Reference

Bill 62 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the link between trees in urban areas and air quality. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Baroness Teather (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 February 2005

For answer on

21 February 2005

Answered on

21 February 2005

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the link between trees in urban areas and air quality. [214937] Alun Michael: Trees provide benefits to urban air pollution, but can also have adverse effects on air quality. Adverse effects of trees on air quality Trees can have adverse effects on air quality. They can release biogenic emissions known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which in combination with oxides of nitrogen (NOx), can contribute to the formation of other pollutants, especially ozone and particles. Ozone and particles are known to damage human health when in the lower atmosphere. In addition, trees release pollen, which can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people, and can be associated with hay fever and asthma. Beneficial effects of trees on air quality Trees deliver air quality benefits in two ways. Firstly, the cooling effect of their shade can directly reduce evaporative emissions from vehicles and other fuel storage, and by cooling homes and offices, power generation emissions are also lessened. Cooling also reduces the speed at which atmospheric chemical reactions occur. Secondly, trees can remove various pollutants from the atmosphere via deposition to their leaves and needles. Trees can remove pollutants typically associated with urban air pollution such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and ammonia reducing atmospheric concentrations and improving air quality. The pollutants generally collect in the leaves or bark which are then shed as part of the tree's life cycle. Trees also reduce concentrations of harmful particulate matter when leaf surfaces collect airborne particles, that are subsequently washed to the ground when it rains. The trees most suited to removal of particles are those with large leaf areas, or sticky or hairy leaves. Studies indicate that the hairy leaves of lime trees can collect four times as many PM10 particles than plane trees. In addition, trees can have a positive benefit in terms of global warming by acting as a sink for carbon dioxide, which is the most common greenhouse gas. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen during photosynthesis. The carbon is stored in the tree and the oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. A recent report entitled "Trees and Sustainable Urban Air Quality", produced under the Natural Environment Research Council's Urban Regeneration and the Environment (URGENT) programme by the University of Lancaster and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Edinburgh, investigated the role of trees in reducing urban air pollution. The report concluded that trees that emit the least reactive VOCs and have large leaf surface areas have the best effect on air quality. Scots pine, common alder, larch, Norway maple, field maple, ash and silver birch were found to remove the most pollutants without contributing to the formation of new pollutants, whereas oaks, poplars and willows were found to have detrimental effects on air quality downwind. In general, the report concludes that the effects on air quality of large scale planting of most tree species in cities would be positive and for example, by doubling the number of trees in the West Midlands, the concentration of small particles could be reduced by 25 per cent., avoiding 140 deaths that are currently caused by airborne particles each year in the West Midlands.

Date

21 February 2005

Reference

431 c187-8W; 214937

House

House of Commons

Town and Country Planning (Timetable for Decisions) (England) Order 2005

SI 2005/205 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 1 April 2005.

Department

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

10 February 2005

Reference

SI 2005/205

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

Adjournment debate on tree protection

Adjournment debate on tree protection.

Lead member

David Kidney

Answering member

Ben Bradshaw

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Adjournment debates

Date

8 February 2005

Reference

430 c1474-82

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what Government initiatives exist to promote the planting of trees; and what assessment she has made of the effect they have had on tree numbers. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Tom Levitt (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

1 February 2005

Reference

211171; 430 c774-5W

House

House of Commons

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many trees have been planted in London since 1975; how many trees there were in Greater London in (a) 1950, (b) 1960, (c) 1975, (d) 1980, (e) 1990, (f) 2000 and (g) the latest year for which figures are available. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Baroness Teather (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

31 January 2005

Reference

430 c655-6W;430 c656W; 211487;211488

House

House of Commons

Northern Ireland Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how DOE Planning Service takes (a) the sustainability of the rural environment 1,ID 1) the possible destruction of mature trees and hedgerows into account when considering applications for planning permission.

Asked by

Iris Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party)

Answering body

Northern Ireland Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

20 January 2005

Reference

208980; 429 c1093-4W

House

House of Commons

Rooker, RtHonLord

What is the number of trees in London and other major British cities;what is their state of health; and when the Government last conducted a tree audit. [HL 389]. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Lord Harrison (Labour)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

10 January 2005

Reference

HL 389; 668 c8WA

House

House of Lords

Untitled Non-legislative formal proceeding

Resolved that an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House a return of the report of an inquiry into an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Type

Non-legislative formal proceedings

Date

21 December 2004

Reference

428 c2047;428 c2045

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what efforts are being taken to encourage action at an EU level to ensure that ramin is listed under Annex B of EU Regulation 338/97.

Asked by

Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 December 2004

Reference

202080; 428 c682W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure the implementation of the Appendix II listing of ramin agreed at the conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting in Thailand immediately after the...

Asked by

Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 December 2004

Reference

202079; 428 c682W

House

House of Commons

Plant Health (Forestry) (Phytophthora Ramorum) (Great Britain) Order 2004

SI 2004/3213 (Negative instrument). Coming into force 29 December 2004.

Department

Forestry Commission

Type

Statutory instruments

Date

8 December 2004

Reference

SI 2004/3213

House

House of Commons; House of Lords

NATIONAL TREE WEEK

That this House congratulates The Tree Council for organising National Tree Week, which this year is taking place from 24th November to 5th December in which groups all over the country will be preparing tree planting events; congratulates The Tree Council for promoting the planting and conservation of trees; recognises...

Primary sponsor

Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat)

Type

Early day motions

Date

24 November 2004

Reference

178; 178A1

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher