§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the pesticide regimes which may be approved for the cultivation of Chardon LL maize will be more aggressive than the regime adopted in the farm scale evaluation trials. [146619]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 8 January 2004]: Under Directive 2001/18/EC, the management practices associated with the cultivation of GM crops must be assessed for their environmental impact. Consequently, my Department will seek advice from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) as to whether the evidence provided by applicants about the specific management practices associated with a GM crop present an increased likelihood of adversely affecting the environment as compared to conventional practices associated with the cultivation of its non-GM counterpart. It would also be within the scope of Directive 2001/18/EC to include conditions to the consent that circumscribed the herbicide regime permitted, if this was felt to be appropriate. The farm scale evaluations provide important data with respect to current management practices, which will be invaluable in making this assessment.
The data from the farm scale evaluation trials will, alongside other relevant data, also be considered as part of the scientific evaluation of any application for a commercial level of approval for the use of glufosinate ammonium on Chardon LL maize. Only if Ministers are satisfied, on the basis of the expert advice of the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides, that 498W the particular use as proposed by the applicant on the draft product label is safe to people and the environment will approval be granted.
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government's investigations have produced evidence to indicate that GM technology should now be released commercially. [146998]
§ Mr. MorleyUnder Directive 2001/18/EC each application to release GM crops for commercial importation or cultivation is judged on a case-by-case basis according to the scientific evidence of any risks it may pose to human health or the environment. A person or company wishing to market such a GM crop must supply a detailed dossier of information including an environmental risk assessment on that GM crop. This information is open to scrutiny by all 15 member states and the European Commission, and an EU-wide public consultation must be held. In considering any application, the Government will consider all relevant evidence including results of its own investigations, for example including the Farm Scale Evaluations. No GM crop may be imported or grown commercially unless and until EU member states have agreed collectively under qualified majority procedures that it is safe. Once a GMO has the suitable consent, it can be imported and, if the consent conditions permit, cultivated within the EU, subject to other applicable legislation on seeds, pesticides and novel food and (animal) feed. No GM crop currently has all the required approvals for UK cultivation.
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with insurance providers for non GM farmers who might be commercially damaged by GM contamination. [146999]
§ Mr. MorleyWe have not had any discussions with insurance providers on this subject. The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has submitted a report to the Government on co-existence and liability issues in relation to GM crops and we are now considering this very carefully.