The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2016 - Issue 47 | Page 16

Sheep Dip Controversy

Defra:
Sympathy
But No
Evidence…

Lawyers
repeat call
for a public
inquiry

» SEVERAL MPS HAVE BEEN
sympathetic and supportive
to the farmers in their
constituencies who are
affected, but the government’s
stance remains the same.
Asked about the possibility
of a public inquiry on the
issue, a Defra spokesperson
commented:
“We are sympathetic to
farmers suffering from ill health.
In the interests of being open
and transparent, we are making
available all relevant documents
that will help answer the group’s
questions around the previous
policy on OPs.
“After looking through
hundreds of records stretching

» GENE MATTHEWS IS A
Partner with the product
liability team at leading,
specialist law firm, Leigh
Day, which acts exclusively
for claimants who have been
injured or treated unlawfully
by others. Gene has acted
for a number of clients
affected by dangerous
chemicals.
In April 2015, Gene
called for an inquiry into the
compulsory use of farmbased organophosphates
after a report in The Guardian
claimed that government
officials knew of the
dangers to farmers of using
organophosphate-based
(OP) chemicals but refused to
end their use throughout the
1980s and 1990s.
At that time, he said: “The
fact that the Health and
Safety Executive was aware
as far back as 1991 of the
health risks associated with
organophosphate use is
shocking, particularly given
that such knowledge has
been denied for decades.”
Today, Gene commented:
“This is a complex issue and I
still think that we are unlikely
to get to the bottom of it
without a public inquiry.
“Those farmers allegedly
affected by organophosphate
(“OP”) exposure have been
seeking transparency and
openness regarding what
(and crucially when) the
government, and the relevant
companies, knew about the

back to the 1980s, we have
found documented evidence
that compulsory dipping was
ended because eradication
of the disease had become
unrealistic and individual
outbreaks could be dealt with
on a case-by-case basis.
“No evidence has been
found that fears over human
health played any part on the
decision to end compulsory
dipping.
“Furthermore, the
independent Committee
on Toxicity researched
organophosphates extensively
and found no evidence that
low-level exposure causes
long-term health effects.”

Back row left to right: Gary Coomber, Margaret and John
Percival, Paul Wright, Tom Rigby, Richard Seymour, Dr
Sarah Mackenzie Ross. Front row: Stephen Forward
The group was later joined by Jo Lunt, Robin Casson, Robert
Davison and MPs Jessica Morden and Andy Burnham.

16 Aug/Sep 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

health implications associated
with the use of those
products.
“Defra holds important
evidence regarding the
government’s decision to
end the compulsory use of
OP sheep dips. It is plainly
unacceptable that those
affected individuals should
continue to be denied access
to that documentation. The
ongoing delay in doing so is
inexcusable and adds to the
opaqueness surrounding this
important issue. It is difficult
to disagree with the MPs
who have previously called
for a public inquiry in to this
issue”.
Leigh Day can be contacted
on 020 7650 1236
(London) or 0161 393 3530
(Manchester).
www.leighday.co.uk
http://www.leighday.co.uk