§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications to grow GM crops have been made in Northern Ireland. [151339]
§ Angela SmithThere has only ever been one application to grow GM crops in Northern Ireland. This was made in 1996 by the Department of Agriculture to carry out a small field-trial on potatoes. This application was dealt with through the regulatory process established under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1994. Papers are available for viewing by the public on a statutory Public Register at the Department of the Environment's Environmental Policy Division, River House, 48 High Street, Belfast, BT1 2AW. Telephone 028 90257362.