1.1 The Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) is an independent scientific advisory committee set up to provide advice to all the Ministers with a responsibility for pesticides.

1.2 One of ACP ’s core values is accessibility. To this end we strive to work openly, honestly and with integrity, and to share information with the public. We are committed to greater openness and to making information about pesticides available to the public.

1.3 This guidance document has been produced, in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to help meet our goal of increased openness and transparency by helping enquirers find and access the information we hold.

1.4 We therefore aim to provide the public with as much information on pesticide and plant protection product approvals as possible consistent with respecting the legitimate legal rights of confidentiality of those who provided the information to us. However we are also aware that there should be a balance between our policy on openness and the regulatory and enforcement responsibilities imposed by the pesticide and plant protection product legislation. Consequently our charging policy has been developed in awareness that resource diverted to respond to information requests should not impair our ability to deliver advice to Ministers.

Information published by ACP

1.5 ACP routinely publishes a lot of information, about our activities on our website. This information is freely available for downloading without permission. For the most up to date information on our work please visit our website at ACP Home Page. The website’s home page should enable you to locate the topics of most interest to you.

1.6 The Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) also publishes much information about pesticides on its website and in the form of books, reports, leaflets, etc. The CRD website is at www.pesticides.gov.uk and information can be freely downloaded from that site. A list of CRD publications, with pricing and ordering information is available on the CRD website: Publications List

1.7 Reference is also made on the CRD website to a number of Defra publications that are relevant to pesticides. The Defra website will provide further details of the availability of such publications and in many cases, there will be a link to the document if it is published on the Defra website. Requests for copies of Defra publications should be directed to:

Website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/

Email: defra.library@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone orders: 020 7238 6575

Unpublished Information held by ACP

1.8 Information that we hold that is not published can be requested. Requests for information will be dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of Inform ation Act 2000, the Environmental Inform ation Regulations 2004, the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (as amended), and the Plant Protection Products Regulations 2005 (as amended).

1.9 Sometimes, we may still have to withhold information if we consider that it is necessary for reasons such as confidentiality, unwarranted invasion of privacy, commercial sensitivity, or for some other legitimate reason. When considering whether or not we have to withhold information, we will take into account the grounds listed in the Freedom of Inform ation Act, the Environmental Inform ation Regulations, and the pesticides legislation. We will also consider whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. In any event, if we do have to withhold information, we will explain why we have done so.

Charging for Information

1.10 As far as possible, we shall aim to make information available free of charge. The exceptions are:

where a cover charge is indicated for a printed document; and

where substantial resources are required to respond to a request

1.11 The following categories could apply to the information you request:

Free of charge on website. Here there is no charge by us, although you would of course have to meet any charges by your Internet service provider, personal printing costs etc. For those without Internet access, a single printout as on the website would be available by post on request. However, for requests involving large documents, multiple print-outs, or archived documents that are no longer available on the web, we may have to charge you for the cost of retrieval, photocopy, postage, etc where the total of such costs exceed £35. Details of how we calculate charges are given at paragraph 1.12 below. We would let you know the relevant charge at the time of your request.

Free of charge leaflets or booklets. Some of these produced by CRD may be of interest. Where no charge is made for a publication produced by CRD this is stated in their publication scheme and/or in the list of publications reproduced at Publications List

Priced publications. ACP evaluation documents are available free of charge on the website but a charge is made for hard copies to cover the cost of copying. Prices are at ACP Evaluation Documents. Where a CRD publication is shown as a priced one in this scheme details of the price are to be found at Publications List.

1.12 When calculating the charge as described in paragraph 1.11(a) above we will charge:

Three pence per A4 sheet for printing or photocopying;
Full postage cost. Documents will be sent by second class mail unless specified otherwise;

Actual costs incurred when providing information in other formats as follows:

CDs at 40p each

Floppy disks at 20p each

Non-standard black and white printing – three pence per A5 sheet, six pence per A3 sheet

Coloured printing – five pence per A4 sheet or smaller; ten pence per A3 sheet

Photographs at £5 each (including black and white; colour; from print or negative)

Any disbursements involving staff time will be charged at a flat rate of £25 per hour or part of an hour.

These charges are in line with the CRD charges for this type of work

Copyright

1.13 The material featured in this guide is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated. Crown copyright protected material may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation. This is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. Where any of the Crown copyright items on this site are being republished or copied to others, the source of the material must be identified and the copyright status acknowledged.

1.14 Any other proposed use of the material, please apply for a Click-Use online License by visiting the Office of Public Sector Information. To find out about the 'Click-Use' licences please follow this link: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index.htm (OPSI formerly known as HMSO) website or by writing to:

Office of Public Sector Information
Information Policy Team
St Clements House
2-16 Colegate
Norwich, NR3 1BQ

Fax: 01603 723000 or
E-mail: HMSO Licensing

1.15 The permission to reproduce Crown protected material does not extend to any material in this guidance document, which is identified as being the copyright of a third party. Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained from the copyright holders concerned.

1.16 More guidance on Crown copyright policy and licensing arrangements can be found on the OPSI website http://www.opsi.gov.uk.

2. Who we are and what we do

ACP Roles and Responsibilities

ACP ’s relationships with other Government departments and external organisations

2.1 The Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is a scientific advisory committee independent of Government. It provides advice to all the Ministers with a responsibility for pesticides and to the Food Standards Agency. The Ministers are the Secretaries of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Health, Work and Pensions, and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

2.2 The Chairman and Members of the Committee are appointed following open competition in line with guidance from the office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. There is a current list of members on our website here ACP Home Page

2.3 Our secretariat is provided by CRD.

Legislation relevant to ACP ’s functions

2.4 The terms of reference of the ACP are set out in law as follows:

Under Section 16(7) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, Ministers established the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to give them advice, either when requested to do so or otherwise, on any matters relating to the control of pests in furthering the general purposes of Part III of the Act.

The general purposes of Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act are that the provisions of that part of the Act shall have effect:

With a view to the continuous development of means
to protect the health of human beings, creatures and plants;
to safeguard the environment; and
to secure safe, efficient and humane methods of controlling pests;

and

with a view to making information about pesticides available to the public.

Under Section 16(9) Ministers are required to consult the Advisory Committee:

as to regulations which they contemplate making;
as to approvals of pesticides which they contemplate giving, revoking or suspending; and
as to conditions to which they contemplate making approvals subject.

Contacting ACP

2.5 You can contact us by post by writing to:

The Secretary or The Chairman,
Advisory Committee on Pesticides,
Chemicals Regulation Directorate
Mallard House
Kings Pool
3 Peasholme Green
York, YO1 7PX

Or by email to: acp@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Or by telephone Tel: 01904 455845

3. What we spend and how we spend it

3.1 We do not have any funds of our own to spend. Members receive a small fee for attending meetings and legitimate travel expenses are reimbursed in line with the Defra rules for reimbursing officials. Our fees are published every year in our annual report, and the money is accounted for within CRD’s accounts.

4. What are our priorities and how are we doing

4.1 In most of our work we respond to requests for advice received from the regulatory authorities (CRD for plant protection products and Chemical Assessment Schemes Unit, CASU, for non-agricultural pesticides), We also respond to requests and information from our two panels, the medical and toxicology panel and the environmental panel, and from members of the public.

ACP Annual Report

4.2 Our annual reports are available at: ACP Annual Reports

5. How we make decisions

5.1 We meet about 6 times a year and provide advice to ministers rather than make decisions. It is on the basis of this advice that the ministers themselves will arrive at decisions on the regulation of pesticides and plant protection products.

5.2 Agendas, minutes and for those wanting a little more technical detail a detailed record of our discussions are published at Proceedings of the ACP

6. Our policies and procedures

ACP ’s Code of Practice

6.1 We operate in line with the Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees which can be found here: http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/index.html The code of practice can be read by following this link: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file42780.pdf

6.2 In addition we have a specific code of practice for the ACP which sets out how we deal with any conflicts of interest that might arise. This can be found here Membership of the ACP

ACP ’s policies and procedures for recruiting members

6.3 Chairman and Members of the ACP are appointed by open competition in line with the guidance from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) which can be found here: http://www.publicappointmentscommissioner.org/Code_of_Practice/

Records management and personal data policies

6.4 CRD provides a records management service for the ACP ’s records in line with the requirements of the National Archive and the Public Records Act.

ACP’s Charging Regimes and Policies

6.5 We aim to provide as much information as we can free of charge on our website. Where charges are made these are only to cover the copying costs of our evaluation documents should a hard copy be required. Prices are listed on our website. We would aim to respond to simple enquiries by providing information free of charge. However we have limited secretariat resources and like CRD need to ensure a balance between our policy on openness and the resources needed to ensure that we can fulfil our statutory obligations. Consequently we will charge in line with the CRD charges outlined at the start of this document should it become clear that substantial resource will be required to respond to a request for information.

7. Lists and registers

7.1 The register of members declared interests is published in our annual report ACP Annual Reports

8. The services we offer

8.1 We provide independent scientific advice to the Ministers responsible for pesticides.

8.2 If you are interested in finding out more about pesticides you will find CRD provides an extensive range of information, much of it free of charge. Further information can be found at the CRD Publication Scheme.

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Related content

ACP Publication Scheme

GUIDE TO INFORMATION

1.About This Guide

Introduction