Lords to question minister on Cadmium

The House of Lords European Union Committee will today take evidence from George Eustice, Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at DEFRA on EU proposals to change the regulation of fertilisers.

The Committee will ask Mr Eustice to clarify the Government’s position on the levels of Cadmium that should be allowed in fertilisers that are marketed in the EU.

Questions the Committee will put to the witnesses include:

· What is the current position of European Council on the issue and are there any substantial changes to the Proposal?

· Why does the Government favour a cadmium limit of 80mg/kg as opposed to 60mg/kg?

· What scientific assessments if the impact and safe levels of cadmium are ongoing and how will this inform the negotiation through supplementary analysis? Are there concerns about limited data on this issue?

· What assessment has the Food Standard Agency made of the risk of human exposure to cadmium-containing food or soil?

· Is a precautionary approach to cadmium required given the gaps in the knowledge about safe levels and whether it is likely to end up in the food chain?