Alar, The Guardian And The Government

EDM number 213 in 1989-90, proposed by Malcolm Bruce on 14/12/1989.

That this House deplores the decision of the Government to give final clearance to the apple spray Alar, when the United States Environmental Protection Agency has banned it after animal studies revealed an inescapable and direct correlation between its use and life-threatening tumors, and when it is known that Alar breaks down into a yet more dangerous chemical; notes that 100 million apples a year have been sprayed with Alar in this country; further notes the massive public opposition to the continued clearance for Alar; congratulates James Erlichmann and The Guardian for providing the public with the details which in any proper democratic society with a Freedom of Information Act would have been made available by the Government; and calls upon the Government to put people first for a change, instead of bending over backwards to help out big chemical companies, even when as in this case they themselves are prepared to bend to public opinion by withdrawing the product.

This motion has been signed by a total of 14 MPs.