Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department are taking steps to regulate toxins in garden soils which are potentially dangerous for household pets.

The Government recognises that use of pesticides is one source of toxins in garden soils. Our first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. A pesticide may only be placed on the market in GB if the product has been authorised by our expert regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), following a thorough scientific risk assessment, that concludes all safety standards are met. Pesticides that pose unacceptable risks are not authorised. All authorised plant protection products have statutory conditions of use that must be followed, and our strict, science-based regulation is supplemented with policies to encourage safe and minimal use.