Chemicals: Regulation

(asked on 30th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of chemical bans by the (a) EU and (b) Chemicals Regulation Division in the last five years on (i) crop yields, (ii) costs of alternative chemicals, (iii) prices to consumers and (iv) farm profitability in the UK since the implementation of those bans.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 9th November 2020

The removal of banned pesticides from sale can adversely affect crop yields if alternative crop protection products or techniques are less effective. Alternative pesticides can sometimes be more expensive. Often these problems may reduce over time as new products become available or farmers find and adopt new approaches. The impact on consumer prices will depend on the degree to which overall market supply is affected. The impact on farm profitability will depend upon a number of factors including yield changes, farm gate price changes and input costs.

The Government’s review of the National Action Plan for the Sustainable use of Pesticides will take a holistic approach centred on Integrated Pest Management which can reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and help farmers to combat pest resistance and support agricultural productivity. The Plan aims to support measures to minimise pesticide use and to reduce risks to human health and the environment. We will consult on the updated Plan later in the year.

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