7 Conclusion
119. Despite the best endeavours of our witnesses,
we have been left, at the end of this inquiry, feeling frustrated
at the lack of information available on crucial issues that would
have assisted us in reaching our conclusions. In particular, we
have been forced to conduct our investigations in the absence
of:
- firm and final plans from the
Government on its national pesticides strategy
- real proof of any environmental benefits that
have resulted from the VI
- detailed results from the Government's research
project that was designed specifically to provide tools for evaluating
the environmental benefits of the VI
- adequate time-series data on water quality
- a definitive estimate of the annual cost of removing
pesticides contamination from drinking water, and
- a fully worked-up proposal from HM Treasury on
its preferred design for a possible pesticides tax.
Most of the items listed above are the responsibility
of the Government. Some of them—particularly the national
pesticides strategy and the research into tools for evaluating
the VI—have been promised for several years. We consider
it vital that the Government now make significant progress with
its strategic approach to the sustainable use of pesticides and
show a clear commitment to prioritise pesticides issues. Such
a commitment is necessary to help allay the public concerns that
surround the use of pesticides. We are frustrated at the lack
of effort being made to devise a means of measuring progress made
by policies intended to control pesticide use. The Government
is still struggling to develop an appropriate benchmarking exercise
or baseline position against which to judge its pesticide policies.
120. Defra believes it must constantly challenge
the targets that the VI has set for itself.[237]
The Minister told us this approach was necessary to push the VI
to achieve "continual improvement" that will be "convincing
to others".[238]
Exerting pressure on the VI to deliver results that are convincing
to those outside the agricultural and agrochemical industry is
very important. The process of parliamentary scrutiny can help
those involved in the initiative avoid a sense of complacency,
as the VI enters the final year of its programme. We may wish
to return to this issue in the future. If we do, we expect to
find not only that the Government has finalised its national pesticides
strategy, but that it has taken decisive steps towards achieving
widespread implementation of the strategy.
237 Qq 318, 321, 326 Back
238
Qq 321, 334 Back
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