HC Deb 14 May 1991 vol 191 c64W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his efforts to secure international agreement on the environmental safety of genetically modified organisms.

Mr. Trippier

Further to my right hon. Friend's statement on 29 January, my Department made a contribution of $80,000—£44,700—to the secretariat of the United Nations conference on environment and development—UNCED—on 18 April. The secretariat will spend this money on mounting a conference, to be held in London between 17 and 18 June, at which representative international experts will be consulted on the development of guidelines on the risk assessment and management worldwide of activities involving genetically modified organisms. This work will inform consideration of the environmentally sound management of biotechnology, which is a priority topic for UNCED, to be held in Brazil in 1992.