The Advisory Committee on Pesticides provides independent advice to Ministers on matters relating to the regulation and use of pesticides, including applications for approval of new products and reviews of existing approvals. It usually meets in closed session (because of intellectual property and commercial secrecy considerations) approximately six times a year in York.
Those present:
Chairman:Prof J.G Ayres
Members: Dr J Cherrie, Mr J Clarke, Prof D Colman, Dr I Grieve, Prof V Howard, Ms R Howell, Dr A Leake, Dr P McElhatton, Dr H Rees, Prof R Smith, Dr Vinod Tohani, Dr R Waring
Apologies: Dr C Clutterbuck, Dr C Elcombe, Prof G Hawksworth, Dr M McPherson, Prof L Maltby, Ms D McCrea, Dr D Osborn
Written comments received from:
Representatives from the following Departments and other organisations were present: The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Health & Safety Executive (HSE), Food Standards Agency (FSA), Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA), Environment Agency (EA), English Nature (EN), Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland (DARNI), Rothamsted Research (RRes)
At its meeting on 21st March 2006, the Committee discussed the following issues:
1. Agenda Item 1: Minutes and Detailed record of discussion
1.1 317th Meeting: Minutes [ACP 1 (318/2006)]
1.1.1 Agreed as amended.
1.2 317th Meeting: Detailed record of discussion [ACP 2 (318/2006)]
1.2.1 Agreed as drafted.
2. Agenda Item 2: Secretary's report [ACP 3 (318/2006)]
2.1 The Secretary to the Committee reported on the recommendations made at previous meetings.
3. Other matters arising [ACP 16 (318/2006)]
3.1 Members noted the progress on other matters arising.
4. Alternatives to conventional pest control techniques in the UK [ACP 8 (318/2006)]
4.1 The ACP had asked the Pesticides Forum to consider the ACP paper on, 'Alternatives to Conventional Pest Control Techniques in the UK'. In this meeting, members considered the Pesticide Forum's response to this paper.
4.2 Members noted that the Forum had identified a number of positive steps that could be taken and ACP members agreed that at this stage it would be helpful for the ACP to review progress and asked PSD to provide an update for the next meeting.
5. Emergency authorisation for the use of 'Rocket EC' on protected cucumber [ACP 10 (318/2006)]
5.1 'Rocket EC' is an emulsifiable concentrate containing 150 g/l triflumizole which is approved in the Netherlands for use on protected cucumbers. Triflumizole is not currently approved for use in the UK, but is also under review in list 3A of the EC review programme.
5.2 In 2005 Ministers granted an emergency approval for the use of 'Rocket EC'. The 2005 approval was based to a large extent upon the approval for this product in the Netherlands.
5.3 Members considered the case for a repeat emergency authorisation in 2006 for the use of 'Rocket EC' (triflumizole) on protected cucumbers.
5.4 Members acknowledged the severe problems powdery mildew was causing cucumber growers but concluded that that before making any recommendation for emergency approval, further information needed to be provided and assessed.
6. Emergency authorisation for the aquatic use of diquat [ACP 9 (318/2006)]
6.1 Members considered a case for a repeat emergency authorisation for the aquatic use of diquat during 2006. This case was supported by a draft scientific case to be submitted to the EC commission seeking the permanent reinstatement of this use within the scope of the Annex I inclusion of Commission Directive 91/414/EEC.
6.2 Members concluded that further information needed to be provided and assessed. The data currently available indicated that this use posed a risk to non-target organisms. Ministers may wish to consider whether the relative risk to sensitive environments from the invasive weed Crassula helmsii outweighed the concern.
7. HSE Annual Pesticide Incident Report 2004/05 [ACP 11 (318/2006)]
7.1 The Committee discussed this report of the pesticide incidents investigated by the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005.
7.2 Members noted the data. The chairman agreed to write to the chair of the Pesticides Incident Appraisal Panel (PIAP) with some suggestions on future presentation of the data.
8. ACP Annual Report - First Draft [ACP 13 (318/2006)]
8.1 Members noted the first draft of the ACP Annual Report and agreed that they were happy with the format.
8.2 Members agreed to provide any amendments to the draft report in writing to the Secretary.
9. Media coverage of ACP response to RCEP report [ACP 14 (318/2006)]
9.1 Members noted the range of articles relating to the Committee's response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's report, 'Crop Spraying and the Health of Residents and Bystanders'.
10. Report from Environmental Panel Meeting 2nd March 2006 [ACP 15 (318/2006)]
10.1 Members noted the report from this meeting.
11. Any other business
11.1 Publication of ACP detailed Record [ACP 18 (318/2006)]
11.1.1 Members discussed the possibility of publishing the committee's detailed record of discussion.
11.1.2 Members again confirmed that they would be happy for the detailed record to be published. They recognized that some aspects of their discussions might cover commercially sensitive issues. However, the chairman noted that in other committees he was aware of such information being included separately in documents that are not made publicly available.
11.1.3 Members agreed that they would continue to make a short minute of their meeting available shortly after meetings, and asked that the detailed record of this meeting be prepared for publication on a trial basis.
11.2 Single payment scheme consultation [ACP 20 (318/2006)]
11.2.1 The Committee noted this consultation document. Some members may choose to respond as individuals but members agreed that no ACP response was required.
11.3 Policy update
11.3.1 Members were updated on recent policy developments and issues. In particular Defra's draft National Pesticides Strategy was discussed and the importance of sustainable development to policy was emphasised.
11.3.2 Members agreed to monitor these developments.
11.4 Consultation on the ACRE report on, 'Managing the footprint of Agriculture: Towards a Comparative Assessment of Risks and Benefits for Novel Agricultural Systems'.
11.4.1 Members noted the launch of this consultation document and agreed to provide contributions to a draft response to the Secretary for discussion at their next meeting.
