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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Pesticides: Health Hazards (14 September 2017)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to assess the long-term effect of pesticides residue in food on children's health.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

Answer

Pesticides are only authorised for use in the UK following a rigorous assessment of the risk to human health. This assessment considers: short-term and long-term risks; risks arising from possible residues in food; and specifically addresses risks to children. If the assessment suggests that there may be risks to health, authorisation is not granted.

There is a comprehensive government programme of monitoring of pesticide residues in food to determine whether food available to UK consumers complies with the statutory residue levels and is safe. The results of this monitoring are published following consideration by the Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food.


Answered by:
George Eustice (Conservative)
9 October 2017

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