Agricultural Chemicals
103. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her response to the report by the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution of the toxic threat to humans of the 31,000 tons of chemicals sprayed on British farms each year and if a similar study is to be carried out here. [34229/05]
Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan): The report will be taken into account in the review of the regulatory system for plant protection products being undertaken with our EU partners and the Commission. The report reflects public concerns brought to the attention of the Royal Commission, recognises the lack of evidence of causality and recommends that risk assessment techniques and methodologies be reviewed and that additional monitoring and health surveillance be undertaken.
The arrangements currently in place in this country for the assessment of risks for workers, bystanders and consumers that may be exposed when crops are sprayed are based on current EU rules and take account of the most extreme exposures likely to occur. They require consideration of health effects on all sectors of the community, including vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.