HC Deb 03 February 2000 vol 343 cc723-4W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify the official procedures to which the GM AgrEvo T25 Maize, covered by Commission Decision 98/293/EC dated 22 April 1998,(a) was subjected and (b) will be subjected for the purpose of assessing its safety for (i) human and (ii) animal consumption. [107266]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 27 January 2000]: The application to market AgrEvo's T25 GM maize was submitted to France in accordance with procedures in Directive 90/220/EEC. The application was subsequently assessed by all Member States, including the UK.

In the UK the application was assessed by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. The marketing consent permitting importation and cultivation in the EU for use as food and feed ingredients was issued by France in August 1998.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he received a copy of the notification under Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No. 258/97 of AgrEvo T25 modified maize; and if he will place a copy of the notification in the Library. [107541]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 28 January 2000]: Ingredients derived from AgrEvo T25 modified maize were approved for food use in the UK in February 1997 following a full safety assessment by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP). Details of the Committee's assessment can be found in its 1996 Annual Report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

The notification, by AgrEvo under Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No. 258/97, containing the ACNFP's assessment report, was transmitted to all Member States on 6 February 1998. No one objected to the notification.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes submitted to the European Commission under Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No. 258/97 in respect of AgrEvo's T25 genetically modified maize. [107784]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 31 January 2000]: The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes' report on food ingredients derived from AgrEvo's T25 genetically modified maize is contained in their 1996 annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.