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House of Lords: Painting
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked the Chairman of Committees:
- Who will choose the title of the painting of the House in session.
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham): It will be for the Advisory Panel on Works of Art to choose any title for the painting.
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked the Chairman of Committees:
- Who are the members of the ad hoc group on the painting of the House; and which members of this group were present at the meeting of the group held on 18th July 1995.
The Chairman of Committees: The ad hoc group consists of the Chairman of Committees, the Chairman of the Advisory Panel on Works of Art, the Government Chief Whip, the Opposition Chief Whip, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, the Convenor of the Cross Bench Peers, the Clerk of the Parliaments and Black Rod. All the members of the group were present at the meeting on 18th July 1995.
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked the Chairman of Committees:
- Why the debate on the Queen's Speech in November 1995 was chosen as the basis of the painting of the House in session; and what other occasions were considered in the run up to that decision.
The Chairman of Committees: Because of the changing membership of the House it was necessary to designate a date for the painting. The ad hoc group on the painting of the House considered the debate on the Queen's Speech to be more suitable than any other occasion in the relevant period.
Organophosphates: Maternal Exposure
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is any evidence of effects upon the human foetus of repeated, low-level maternal exposure to pyrethroids or combinations of pyrethroids and organophosphates and, if there are, how are they manifested.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege): The Government are not aware of any clear evidence for the effects of these compounds on the human foetus.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any research has been conducted into the effects on the human foetus following maternal exposure to organophosphates, with what results, and whether they advise any precautionary measures to be taken by pregnant women as to the use of organophosphate products.
Baroness Cumberlege: The Government are not aware of any research into the effect of organophosphates on the developing human foetus. The precautionary measures recommended depend on the structure of the individual organophosphate and it is not possible to make general comments. Teratology studies, performed in experimental animals, are generally amongst the requirements of regulatory authorities when approving pesticides.
Organophosphate Detoxification
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What would be the effect of a deficiency in the P-450 enzymes upon the ability of humans and animals to detoxify organophosphates, and in what proportion of the population is P-450 deficiency known to occur.
Baroness Cumberlege: It is impossible to generalise about the metabolism of organophosphates (OPs) because the route of metabolism depends upon the
structure of the individual OP. P-450 is not a single entity but a family of enzymes, and in respect of the most common half-dozen, an estimated 1-8 per cent. of the population are thought to have a deficiency.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there has been established any link between a genetic deficiency of methionine in humans and animals and a reduced ability to detoxify organophosphates, and in what proportion of the population is methionine deficiency known to occur; and
What would be the effect of methionine deficiency on the production of taurine and the efficiency of the blood/brain barrier.
Baroness Cumberlege: There is no evidence of a dietary deficiency of methionine amongst the population in this country, although methionine deficiency is known to occur in some very rare metabolic defects affecting an estimated 1:200,000 births. It is impossible to generalise about the metabolism of organophosphates (OPs) because the route of metabolism depends upon the structure of the individual OP. The Government have not been able to identify any research into the effect of a methionine deficiency on the production of taurine and the efficiency of the blood/brain barrier.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is evidence that humans who have a deficiency in pseudocholinesterase (PsChE) have a reduced ability to detoxify organophosphates and what research has been conducted in this field.
Baroness Cumberlege: The normal function of plasma (pseudo) cholinesterase is not known, but it is hypothesised that the enzyme acts as a scavenger of antiocholinesterase xenobiotics. There are a number of genetic variants, of pseudocholinesterase and a "silent" gene is known, in which no enzyme is produced in the homozygote. Despite this, reports of an association between atypical or absent pseudocholinesterase and heightened susceptibility to anticholinesterases have been rare. The Government are not aware of any research that has been conducted in this field specifically.
Organophosphates and PsChE Synthesis
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the long-term effect of low level exposure to organophosphates upon the ability of humans and animals to synthesise PsChE.
Baroness Cumberlege: There is some evidence for effects of anticholinesterases, including organophosphates on the rates of synthesis of cholinesterase enzymes, generally at doses that produce evidence of depression of cholinesterase activity.
Sheep Dip Exposure Effects: Research
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there has been any further research into sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in peripheral blood lymphocytes following exposure to sheep dip since that conducted by B.A. Hatjian et al of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield; and, if so, what research and what, if any, are the results.
Baroness Cumberlege: The Government are not aware of any further research in this area.
RUC: Women Officers
Lord Holme of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many women serve in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; what proportion of the RUC they represent; what proportion of each of the major branches of the RUC they represent; and how the average age and length of service of women in the RUC compares with that of men in the RUC.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Denton of Wakefield): At 31st October 1996, the number of women serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary was:
- Regulars: 899 (10.6 per cent.)
- Full-Time Reserve: 151 (5.1 per cent.)
- Part-Time Reserve: 532 (35.8 per cent.)
| Percentage | |
| ACPO Ranks | 0 |
| Command Secretariat | 16.7 |
| A Department (Administration) | 9.2 |
| B Department (Personnel and Training) | 9.7 |
| C Department (Crime) | 15.5 |
| D Department (Operational Support) | 1.4 |
| E Department (Special Branch) | 10.3 |
| F Department (Press Office) | 13.5 |
| G Department (Complaints and Discipline) | 15.5 |
| M Department (Management Support) | 11.3 |
| North Region | 12.5 |
| South Region | 10.3 |
| Urban Region | 9.9 |
The average age and service of women in the RUC (at 31.10.96) compared to men is set out below:
Average age/service Men Women
Regulars 39/14 34/9
FTR 39/11 33/3
PTR 41/13 35/7
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