HC Deb 16 May 1994 vol 243 cc294-5W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what specific proposals she has to ensure the labelling of all foods the production of which has involved genetic engineering; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Soames

The Government have accepted the recommendations of the Food Advisory Committee on the labelling of foods produced as a result of genetic modification. They are that mandatory labelling rules should apply in all cases where a foodstuff:

  1. (a) contains a copy gene originally derived from a human;
  2. (b) contains a copy gene originally derived from an animal which is the subject of religious dietary restrictions; or
  3. (c) is a plant or microbial material containing a copy gene originally derived from an animal.
These rules would not apply if the inserted gene had been destroyed during processing and was not, therefore, present in the food.

Labelling of such foods is being considered by the EC Council of Ministers as part of a proposal on novel foods.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make it her policy to make mandatory the assessment procedures for the safety of genetically engineered foods in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Soames

We are currently at an advanced stage in negotiating mandatory procedures to apply throughout the whole of the European Union.