§ 9. Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford)If he will make a statement on the progress of the review of separation distances for GM crops undergoing farm-scale trials in the UK. [123997]
§ The Minister for the Environment (Mr. Michael Meacher)My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food explained to the House on Thursday 8 June that his Department is conducting a scientific review of separation distances and their relationship with crop varietal purity. He is also consulting interested parties, including conventional and organic farmers, and will take account of any lessons that can be learned from the Advanta seeds issue.
§ Joan RuddockI thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Has he formed an opinion about the risk matrix-based separation distances recommended by the National Pollen Research Unit? Will he take a lead in the matter and can he guarantee that new separation distances will be put in place before the 1 August notification deadline for new, autumn-sown, genetic modification farm-scale trials?
§ Mr. MeacherI am concerned about the issue, as my hon. Friend knows. We are examining appropriate separation distances as a matter of urgency. Indeed, we take seriously the variable matrix model produced by the National Pollen Research Unit, which is supported by the Soil Association, with which I have been having discussions, and others. The survey is being conducted by MAFF, to which those proposals should be sent.
Contamination and separation distances are traditional, having been determined by agronomic practice over 50 or more years, and 99.5 per cent, of the pollen will not get 785 beyond those distances. However, small—sometimes vanishingly small—amounts of pollen may, and indeed can, travel considerable distances. The problem is knowing exactly where to draw the line in a continuous deposition level over long periods.
§ Mr. Owen Paterson (North Shropshire)The Mayall family have been farming at Pimhill in my constituency for 51 years. Their organic farm is a highly successful enterprise. Important GM trials are taking place not very far away. It is absolutely vital that we establish safe separation distances as soon as possible. GM crops have been grown in bulk in the United States for more than 10 years. How many visits have the Ministers' officials made to find out what the distances are there?
§ Mr. MeacherI cannot answer the specific question, but I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman receives an answer. We have been increasing the number of visits made by the Central Science Laboratory, which took over from the Health and Safety Executive in the supervision of GM sites.
I repeat that I am concerned about the issue. There should be due and adequate notification of GM trials. We have arranged local meetings in villages and towns so that people are properly informed and can make representations.
I am concerned that we should have a fresh look at the matter by the August sowing deadline, which my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock) referred to, and that we shall be able to establish a fairer cordon sanitaire, possibly on the variable matrix model, which I favour. It is false to pretend that any distance will prevent all contamination; the question is how we can minimise that to a level that is acceptable to those buying the product, because they will have to determine what degree of GM food in a non-GM product is acceptable.