HL Deb 08 June 2000 vol 613 cc1233-5

3.9 p.m.

Lord Taverne

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What United Kingdom involvement there is in the International Rice Genome Project; and when it will be completed.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the John Innes Centre in Norwich has been involved in planning the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project, through membership of the steering committee, since its inception in 1997. The centre, together with European Union colleagues, has undertaken preparatory work to sequence part of the rice genome.

Subject to funding, the international project is due to be completed by 2006. The bulk of the work is being carried out in Japan, although the USA, China and other countries are also contributing significantly. The John Innes Centre is co-ordinating a consortium of European laboratories to sequence a considerable part—10 to 15 per cent—of the genome.

Lord Taverne

My Lords, will the Government give every possible support to this vitally important project? It should lead to the development of improved rice with increased nutritional content and much less demand on scarce resources such as land and water. Does the Minister agree that an important breakthrough in the programme was the recent decoding of the genetic sequence? Incidentally, that was carried out by Monsanto—a company with which I have no connection—which is often reviled. Does the Minister also agree that on this occasion it should be congratulated on setting an example to other companies in making the benefits of the genome information freely available?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, we are giving every encouragement to that project and shall continue to do so. The noble Lord is quite right that Monsanto made available a working draft of its decoding of the genome. But that is only a working paper; there is still a great deal of work to be done. However, those who are taking part in the sequencing project appreciate Monsanto's gesture in making that information available free of any copyright or patent restriction.

Lord Jenkin of Roding

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Select Committee on Science and Technology recently drew attention to the splendid speech made by a Brit—Professor Gordon Conway, currently president of the Rockefeller Foundation—which he addressed to the Monsanto board last July? At that time he pointed out that by genetic modification of rice, the yields were already rising dramatically (a 40 to 50 per cent increase) and the nutritional quality improved greatly. Is not the message that if real advantage can be seen, as the third world countries certainly do see, there is nothing to fear from this technology?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the Government take the view that where it is appropriate and beneficial for this technology to be used in developing countries, all support should be given to that technology.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, does the Minister agree that it may put a lot of people's minds at rest on this subject if we can be assured that a large bank of existing genetic material is kept of the plants that are being genetically modified? If something goes wrong, we shall then have something to fall back on.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, that is true of all modification, whether it is genetic modification brought about by modern techniques or by any form of breeding. It is desirable to be able to retrace one's steps if any change has been made, however beneficial.

The Earl of Selborne

My Lords, perhaps I may declare an interest as a trustee of the John Innes Foundation. Does the Minister agree that enormous interest has been shown around the world in genome sequencing? Is it not desirable, if possible, for the intellectual property rights to remain within the scientific community, particularly at the national academies of those countries most likely to benefit?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, clearly the important issue of intellectual property rights arises.

The noble Earl is aware of the controversy in the United States in relation to the patent rights on part of the human genome project between the Sanger Centre and a private developer. Of course, no patent can be taken out on indigenous plants. It is only where there is a degree of invention that that is possible. But it is enormously important that it should not be possible to patent a scientific invention which should be generally available for the benefit of the world.

The Earl of Listowel

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, despite the great benefits from genetic engineering, there may also be great drawbacks? As with nuclear power, from which many people benefit greatly, awful forces may be unleashed by such a development.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, I am not sure that I accept the scientific basis for the analogy which the noble Earl seeks to draw. The case for genetic modification has to stand on its own and not by analogy with nuclear power.