§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future licensing of GM crops. [105485]
§ Mr. MeacherFollowing the entry into force of Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms, a total of 19 applications for 645W marketing consents for GM crops have been submitted to various EU member states. The Directive sets out clear procedures and deadlines for each stage of the decision-making process by member states and the European Commission. On any assessment, final decisions at EU level on any of the 19 applications are unlikely to be taken before the end of the year at the very earliest. By that time we will have the first set of results from our crop trials, the report of the public debate, and the information provided by the other parts of the work programme on GM that the Government has put in place. We will decide our policy on the commercial cultivation of GM crops in the UK, in consultation with the devolved Administrations, based on an objective assessment of all the available information.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether the UK Government is required by EC Directive 2001/18 to give an opinion on each of the 19 Part C marketing consents submitted to EU member states so far this year: and for each application, what the latest date is by which the United Kingdom's opinion is required for each of those 19 Part C applications should the UK Government consider that all the information requirements required of applicants under the Directive have been met; [105658]
(2) if she will list the reasons under EC Directive 2001/18 which would permit the United Kingdom to delay issuing an opinion on a Part C application made to the United Kingdom competent authority and to applications made to other member states. [105659]
§ Mr. MeacherEC Directive 2001/18 places obligations on all European Union Member States with regard to Part C marketing consents, which includes a timetable for each stage. If a Part C application is made to the United Kingdom, we are requried to complete its assessment of compliance with the Directive within 90 days. This deadline excludes any period during which further information is being sought from the applicant. In the two current cases of such applications, additional information is being sought from the applicants. Accordingly, I cannot predict when a UK opinion on either will be required, since it depends upon when the information is provided. Any favourably assessed application would subsequently be submitted for scrutiny by other European Union Member States.
In the case of a Part C application to another Member State, the United Kingdom has 60 days from receipt of a positive assessment to submit any comments it may have. It is important that we contribute to the thorough scrutiny of these applications. If we were to be concerned that a particular crop may pose a risk to human health or the environment then it is clearly important that the UK submits a reasoned objection. The UK's non participation would not delay the timetable for taking decisions in Brussels. Two applications have reached this stage so far, and in both cases the UK had until 25 March 2003 to submit a response, and in both cases we sought further information necessary to completing our assessment. The deadline for comments on each of the other 15 applications will depend upon if and when positive assessments are submitted by the appropriate lead 646W Member State. All applications are subsequently dependent upon collective EU decision-making procedures and timetable as set out in the Directive.