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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make representations to the European Commission on overturning the ban on the herbicide Asulam.

Despite UK opposition, asulam was withdrawn from the market at the end of 2012 following an EU review. Asulam is a valuable resource for land managers needing to control bracken. Therefore, in line with EU rules, limited and controlled use has been allowed to continue in the UK where alternative control measures would not be effective.

A new application for EU approval has been submitted and is currently being examined by the Health and Safety Executive. Their assessment will be completed later this year and will be peer reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which will issue its own conclusions. The European Commission will then decide whether to approve asulam for use. If approval is granted, Member States can consider applications to authorise products containing asulam.

The Government believes that decisions on the approval and authorisation of pesticides should be taken on the basis of a scientific assessment of risk. If the assessment shows that asulam can be used without unacceptable risk, this should be permitted.