asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek information on which local authorities have banned the use of the chemical 2,4,5-T.

Local authorities have no powers to ban the general use of chemicals. However, I am aware that some local authorities have decided not to purchase and use for weed control, products containing 2,4,5-T. The view of the Government's Advisory Committee on Pesticides is that 2,4,5-T is safe when used according to the instructions. Bearing this in mind and the fact that local authority usage is relatively small, a comprehensive survey of local authority use would not be justified.