HC Deb 23 April 1999 vol 329 cc702-4W
Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of ways in which the biotechnology industry could use less exacting regulatory systems elsewhere in the EU in order to gain legal rights within the UK for (a) field trials (b) commercial growing and (c) produce distribution in respect of genetically modified crops. [81076]

Mr. Meacher

The regulatory control of the release and marketing of GMOs is governed throughout the EC by Directive 90/220/EEC. This has been transposed into UK law through Part VI of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992, as amended 1995 and 1997. All Member States are required to implement the Directive fully.

The Committee of Competent Authorities for the Directive meets regularly to exchange information on implementation with a view to securing even application of the Directive throughout the EC. Therefore the regulatory systems in all EU member states should operate to similar standards.

All consents for GMO releases for the purposes of research, such as field trials, are issued at national level. For any field trial to be carried out in the UK, a consent must be issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The commercial growing and distribution of GM produce require specific consents to be issued at the Community level under Directive 90/220/EEC. All Member States participate and can raise objections in this decision-making process. Once an approval has been issued, it may be used throughout the Community, provided any specific conditions on use or on types of environment and geographical areas for release are complied with.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish(a) an updated version of Table 1 of Appendix 4 of the report of the European Communities Committee of the House of Lords of Session 1997–98 (HL 11-I p57–8) concerning the regulation of genetic modifications in agriculture, stating in addition, in respect of each application, the policy of Her Majesty's Government and (b) a similar list of applications considered by (i) the EU Commission and (ii) a Council Committee, which were disapproved. [73721]

Mr. Meacher

An updated version of the table is available on my Department's website. The volume of information requested is such that I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the table that includes the additional information requested.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the occasions in(a) the Regulatory Committee of the European Commission and (b) the Council of Ministers when approval for genetically modified crops for (1) experimental and (2) commercial purposes was granted; when the representatives of the United Kingdom (A) expressed disapproval of any such application and (B) (i) voted against and (ii) abstained, on any occasion when approval for that application has been obtained by qualified majority of opinion, together with the nature and origin of the application concerned. [73722]

Mr. Meacher

Approvals for experimental releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are determined nationally.

To date, only one application to place GMOs on the market has been given approval where the UK authority objected. The case, under Part C of Directive 90/220/EEC, concerned a genetically modified maize modified for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. The UK had no objection to the marketing of this product for seed production but voted against its unrestricted use as proposed by the Commission. Full details are contained in the table referred to in my reply to my hon. Friend given today.