Genetically Modified Foods (Hansard, 17 November 1997)

§ Mr. Todd
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that genetically modified foods are labelled as such. [15842]

§ Mr. Rooker
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 9 June 1997,Official Report, columns 356–57.

§ Mr. Tyler
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has evaluated with respect to(a) the effects of changes in the composition of diet and (b) the effects of genetic modification of food on the toxicity of pesticide residues in the human body; and if he will make a statement. [16203]

§ Mr. Rooker
When applications for pesticide approvals are evaluated, or existing approvals are reviewed, food consumption patterns are routinely taken into account. This information is derived from the National Food Survey and other sources.
No approvals have been granted for the use of any pesticide specifically on a genetically modified crop. Where the genetic modification would be expected to alter the way the crop metabolises the pesticide, the resultant risks would be assessed. This is most likely to be an issue with genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops and I am taking steps to ensure that such new uses of herbicides will require specific evaluation.

§ Mr. Tyler
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department has received from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes with respect to elevated oestrogen levels in genetically modified soya. [16202]

§ Mr. Rooker
When the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes carried out its safety evaluation of the genetically modified soya produced by Monsanto—the only soya which it has evaluated to date—it found no differences in oestrogen levels compared with traditional soya.

§ Mr. Tyler
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated with respect to elevated oestrogen levels in genetically modified soya. [16197]

§ Mr. Rooker
When the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes evaluated the safety of the genetically modified soya produced by Monsanto, it found no differences in oestrogen levels compared with traditional soya and there was therefore no reason to commission further research on this point.
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§ Mr. Tyler
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department has received from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes with respect to the bla gene in Ciba-Geigy's genetically modified maize line CG00526–176. [16199]

§ Mr. Rooker
The report of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes on this genetically modified maize is contained in Appendix XII of its Annual Report for 1996, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.