HC Deb 18 March 1997 vol 292 cc520-2W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Health and Safety Executive in regard to proposed amendments to European Council directive GO/219/EEC on genetically modified micro-organisms; what action he has taken following the consultations; and if he will make a statement. [20760]

Mr. Gummer

Following the European Commission's adoption in December 1995 of its proposed amendment to the directive, I agreed a strategy for negotiation of the proposal with the Health and Safety Executive based on support for its essential elements. This was reflected in an explanatory memorandum cleared by the Scrutiny Committees of both Houses of Parliament last year.

The proposal has been discussed at three meetings of the Environment Council which I have attended during 1996. The Health and Safety Executive was consulted and full account was taken of its advice. At the last Council, held on 9 December 1996, there was broad agreement between member states that the essential elements of the Commission's proposals should be supported.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes in respect of the environmental implications of genetically modified organisms. [20761]

Mr. Gummer

None. The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes advises Health and Agriculture Ministers and the heads of Departments of Health and Social Services and of Agriculture for Northern Ireland on any matters relating to the irradiation of food or to the manufacture of novel foods or foods produced by novel processes.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the amendments proposed by the European Parliament report, A4–0070/97, to the proposal for a Council directive amending directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms (COM (95) 0640-C4–0271/96–95/0340 SYN). [20764]

Mr. Gummer

The Health and Safety Executive, in consultation with officials in the Department of the Environment and other interested Departments, studied the amendments in the light of the objectives which I agreed following the European Commission's adoption of its original proposal. Most of the amendments were consistent with the United Kingdom's objective of reducing ineffective administrative burdens at the same time as improving protection of human health and the environment by targeting areas of highest risk. A substantial number, however, would have undermined that objective.

The European Parliament voted on the proposed amendments on Wednesday 12 March. I am pleased that most of the amendments contrary to our objectives were rejected. A significant minority, however, were passed. Of particular concern is the proposal to alter the legal base of the directive from that which provides for the establishment of minimum safety standards for human health and the environment to that concerned with the establishment of harmonised standards to enhance the functioning of the internal market. The contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms has nothing to do with the internal market, so the proposed change of legal base would be quite inappropriate.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conferences his Department(a) has sponsored and (b) been represented at since January 1996 on genetically modified organisms and the environment. [20765]

Mr. Gummer

(a) On 10 March, my Department sponsored a national conference on biotechnology at which I made the opening speech. This conference was chaired by Lord Selborne, and the outcome of the conference will be reported to me shortly. The conference was informed by the outcome of three consultation conferences. One of those, on the environment applications of biotechnology, was sponsored by my Department.

(b) My officials attend conferences on genetically modified organisms from time to time, but we do not keep a central register of such attendances.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the(a) containment measures, (b) targeting of areas of risk, (c) incorporation of technological changes and (d) notification periods in Council directive GO/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms. [20771]

Mr. Gummer

In administering and enforcing the regulations which implement this directive inadequacies have been shown in all four areas.

  1. (a) The containment measures set out in the directive are based on what is appropriate to large-scale activities. Safety would be better ensured by a more flexible approach to containment measures which would enable users of genetically modified micro-organisms to select those most appropriate to the particular type of activity they propose to undertake.
  2. (b) The directive bases notification requirements on the classification of GMMs according to their inherent properties and on an inflexible test of the purpose and scale of intended activities. These criteria are not properly risk-based and therefore result in a disproportionate focus by competent authorities on activities of negligible risk.
  3. (c) The procedure for amending some of the key technical annexes to the directive is far too protracted to allow scientific developments to be taken quickly into account.
  4. (d) The notification periods are unnecessarily long. We have found that notifications can be processed long before the expiry of the periods prescribed in the directive. Notifiers must, however, observe the prescribed periods. The consequence is that the planning schedules of those engaged in contained use activities are needlessly extended and work is delayed.

I am pleased that the European Commission's proposal for amendment of the directive, currently under negotiation, includes provisions which would go a long way to remedying these inadequacies.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has evaluated from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics on the impact of the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment on human health and environmental protection. [20772]

Mr. Gummer

I have received no recent representations from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics on this subject.