§ Ms DrownTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans the Government have to commission research into the direct and indirect effects of releasing genetically modified organisms into the open. [59224]
§ Mr. RookerIn addition to studies currently underway or about to be commissioned, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to her on 12 November 1998,Official Report, column 316. We recently announced that the Government will be carrying out farm-scale evaluations 575W of the first commercial plantings of genetically modified crops for ecological effects along with commercial plantings of conventional crops.