Seed Purity (Hansard, 19 June 2000)

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)
My Lords, Advanta estimates that between 125 and 150 farms in England may have been affected. The company, together with its distributors, has set up a registration system for affected farmers in order to establish their number and location. Compensation for farmers' losses is essentially a matter between the farmers affected and Advanta. However, we welcome the announcement by the company on 2nd June that it intends to provide fair and equitable compensation to those farmers.

§ Lord Beaumont of Whitley
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that moderately satisfactory reply. What steps are the Government taking to see that there is no repetition of such an incident, particularly in view of the advice given to the Government by English Nature, which was reported in The Times on Friday, that a 1 per cent admixture of GM seed is totally unacceptable on both food safety and environmental grounds?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord. To do something that is moderately satisfactory in this field is an achievement. When in May we announced the action to be taken by the Government, we recognised that an international and European framework to deal with seed purity, and therefore to put in place a system to monitor and regulate the kinds of events that arose in the case of Advanta, was lacking, and it was important to take action on that front. Essentially, we have done two things. First, at national level we have tried to work out a code of practice with the industry and to ensure that there are spot checks on imports which are 8 directed at seeds from countries where there is GM production. Secondly, we have done work in Europe to ensure that tolerances for seed are set and there is an appropriate regulatory framework. I am glad to say that there has been progress at a technical level. These issues are on the agenda of today's meeting of the Agriculture Council.

§ Lord Peston
My Lords, does my noble friend have any hope at all that one day the voice of reason will prevail in the area of GM and people who make claims about food safety, environmental danger and so on will have no scientific basis for their comments? Is he also aware that all over the world GM foods will be the means to solve major problems of famine and farming generally? Does my noble friend agree it is about time that those who favour a serious scientific approach to this matter stand up and speak out, including Her Majesty's Government?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I agree that we need a rational and science-based approach in this area. It is important to keep in mind that throughout this incident there was clear advice that there was no risk to health or the environment from the incident itself. Equally, there are widespread concerns. GM technology has the potential for both good and bad applications. People need to know that there is an appropriate regulatory framework. However, as my noble friend points out, that framework must be appropriate to a situation in which there is widespread cultivation of GM crops throughout the world.

§ Lord Tebbit
My Lords, is it the view of Her Majesty's Government that the escape of pollen from these GM crops can be contained or that now it has been released it will contaminate what may be called feral rapeseed oil plants that grow along the sides of our roads and motorways?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, the advice of the statutory advisers is that the pollen from this crop is not a potential cross-pollinator with other wild oilseed—whether or not the noble Lord agrees, I state the advice that we have received—because these particular plants are male sterile. One issue which we believe must be dealt with is the potential for volunteers that are left after cultivation. I am informed that there is a potential for one in four of the 1 per cent of the crop that is GM being fertile. In that case we must have an appropriate policy to deal with the volunteers, and that is what we are working out.

§ Earl Peel
My Lords, can the Minister tell the House whether in her view Advanta has contravened EU Directive 90/220? If so, will the Government institute criminal proceedings against the company?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I said on the day of the announcement that initially the legal advice was that no offence had been committed. We must take our responsibility as regulators very seriously and ensure that offences are not committed or, if they are, that 9 appropriate action is taken. I do not believe that the House would expect me to give details of the advice received in relation to the appropriateness or otherwise of prosecution.