§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department received the research700W dossier on GMO research into potatoes from Dr. Pusztai of the Rowett Research Institute; when the Minister for the Cabinet Office requested copies of the work submitted to his Department under contract by Dr. Pusztai; which other Government departments or research units have received copies; and on what dates. [72528]
§ Mr. MacdonaldA copy of the report produced by Dr. Putszai for the Rowett Research Institute in response to the Institute's Audit Committee was copied to the Scottish Office on 26 October 1998. The report was published by the Rowett Research Institute on 16 February 1999. Dr. Pusztai was contracted by the Rowett Research Institute to undertake the research on GMO potatoes and it was for the Institute to consider and publish the report.
The Government welcome the decision by the Rowett Research Institute to publish Dr. Pusztai's report, together with the audit committee's response to this report. The Government also welcome the request by the Rowett Research Institute to the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh to conduct an independent analysis of Dr. Pusztai's and Dr. Ewen's research. For this to take place, it is clearly essential that all those involved should respond to the requests within the scientific community to make available the data and papers on which their conclusions are based.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.