asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many aircraft engaged in crop spraying have crashed in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement.

Statistics kept by the Civil Aviation Authority show that the number of crop spraying aircraft that have crashed in each of the last six years is as follows:

1972	4
1973	7
1974	11
1975	12
1976	11
1977	16

One accident in 1974, one in 1975 and one in 1977 were fatal.The increase in the number of accidents to be observed in this list is roughly in proportion to the increase in crop spraying activity during the relevant period.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade in how many inquiries into crashes involving crop spraying aircraft over the last six years subsequent inquiries have pointed to pilots being affected by pesticide poisoning; and if he will make a statement.

No inquiry into accidents involving crop spraying aircraft over the last six years has pointed to a pilot being affected by pesticide poisoning. It should be noted that full medical examinations—post mortem—of the pilots concerned were carried out only in those cases where a formal investigation was conducted. In other cases the inquiries were confined to establishing the circumstances in which the accident occurred. I am informed that the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, which is the source of expert advice to the Government on pesticides and crop spraying, has the question of possible pilot poisoning under review.