HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 cc137-40W
Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to commission independent research into the environmental effects of growing GM maize using pesticides other than Atrazine. [153892]

Mr. Morley

Further research investigating the environmental effects of growing GM maize in relation to the phasing-out of Atrazine was recommended by the Government's statutory advisers on GM crop releases—The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE)—in January 2004 (see www. Defra.gov.uk/environment/acre).Accordingly, we are currently considering our research requirements in this area.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the maximum level of GM material in seed for planting to ensure a harvested crop does not contain more than the 0.9 per cent. threshold of GM material required under EU regulations for produce to be classified GM-free. [153894]

Mr. Morley

I refer the right hon. Member to the assessment made by the EU Scientific Committee on Plants which advises that the Commission's proposed labelling thresholds for the marketing of seeds are based on the need to achieve the separate 0.9 per cent. labelling threshold for adventitious GM presence in non-GM food and feed products. Table 1 of the Scientific Committee's Opinion suggests that the Commission's proposed thresholds could achieve harvested crop thresholds of 0.81 per cent. for oilseed rape, 0.57 per cent. for maize and 0.67 per cent. for sugar beet.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the economic(a) benefits and (b) disbenefits to UK farmers of growing GM maize. [153895]

Mr. Morley

As part of the GM Dialogue the Strategy Unit carried out a study of the costs and benefits of GM crops. Their report "Field Work: weighing up the costs and benefits of GM crops" was published on 11 July last year. The Unit concluded that GM crops could offer some cost and convenience advantages to UK farmers, although any economic benefit is likely to be limited in the short-term as only a narrow range of existing GM crops are currently suited to UK conditions, and weak consumer demand may limit take-up. In the longer term it concluded that future developments in GM crops have the potential to offer more wide-ranging benefits, to both farmers and consumers.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to commission independent research on(a) gene transfer and (b) co-existence in relation to GM crops. [153896]

Mr. Morley

Details of previously commissioned research on gene flow from GM crops are available at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research/index.htm. Several Defra-funded projects looking at aspects of gene flow that are relevant to co-existence are still in progress. We constantly review our research requirements and may commission further work in future. The Government is currently considering a report on co-existence by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission.

Gregory Barker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to vote to maintain the GM moratorium in Europe on 18 February. [154709]

Mr. Morley

No such vote is proposed on 18 February as there is no official moratorium on this matter in the EU. The Government supports the European Commission's view that the EU has an operating legislative framework for the consideration of applications for consent to market GM food and crops on the basis of proper human health and environmental safety criteria. The vote on 18 February was in relation to one such application for consent made within this framework

The application under consideration is for the import and marketing of GM maize line NK603 for processing for use as animal feed. Consent for this GM maize, if granted, would not permit cultivation or use in food. Four varieties of GM maize already have EU marketing consents which were granted in 1997–98.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department has(a) given to and (b) received from the UK delegates attending European Commission regulatory standing and management committees on GM seed. [153905]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 9 February 2004]: The Government has advised UK delegates attending EU committee meetings on GM seeds to support, in principle, the introduction of measures, including labelling provisions, to control adventitious GM presence in non-GM seeds. UK delegates have reported on the discussions that have taken place. The Government is still considering its position with regard to the levels at which any thresholds for the adventitious presence of GMOs in seeds should be set.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to(a) announce her policy on growing GM crops in the UK and (b) decide the outcome of applications for licences to grow GM crops which are the responsibility of the UK to determine. [153906]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 9 February 2004]: The Government is now considering its overall policy on GM crops in the light of all the available information. This includes the reports of the public debate and science review, the study of the costs and benefits, the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission's report on co-existence and liability and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment's advice on the Farm Scale Evaluation research. We are aiming to set out our conclusions shortly.

The procedures for considering applications to release or market genetically modified organisms are set out in EC Directive 2001/18. Currently 13 applications to place GM crops on the market for cultivation have been submitted to EU member states, none of these applications have been made through the UK as the lead member state.

If the lead member state considers that an application complies with the Directive it is required to forward its assessment report to the European Commission. The application is then subject to a collective decision by all member states.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ensure that UK decisions on applications to(a) grow and (b) use GM crops and foodstuffs are subject to parliamentary approval. [153907]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 9 February 2004]: The procedures for assessing applications are set out in the relevant EU legislation, either Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms or the Novel Foods Regulation 258/97, and in the implementing legislation. These were subject to parliamentary scrutiny at the time. The legislation provides for decisions to be taken on individual applications by Government. Final decisions on commercial approvals for GM crops and foodstuffs are taken collectively by EU member states.

Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the basis of the decision by the Belgian Government to refuse an application for a licence to grow GM oilseed rape in the EU. [154000]

Mr. Morley

Applications for the deliberate release of GM organisms into he environment are assessed under the procedures set out in EC Directive 2001/18. No assessment has been made by the UK Government of the application to import and cultivate "Ms8xRf3" GM oil seed rape because notification of the Belgian competent authority's opinion has not yet been circulated by the Commission. When the application and the Belgian assessment is forwarded to us we will consider it very carefully in the light of the scientific evidence of any risks it may pose to human health and the environment.