§ Ms DrownTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the National Pollen Research Unit's advice on the minimum advisable separation distance between genetically engineered maize crops and conventional crops. [79500]
§ Mr. RookerThe National Pollen Research Unit's recent report provided a review of information regarding the dispersal of pollen and the distance it could travel. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) have been asked to consider this report and, when available, their advice will be published and placed in the Libraries of the House.
The risk of cross-pollination, which can be affected by other factors such as pollen viability as well as separation distance, is considered by ACRE when examining each application for release of genetically modified (GM) crops. Appropriate conditions (e.g. separation distances) may be included in a consent, but a consent would not be granted if ACRE considered the risks associated with cross-pollination to be unacceptable. In addition, Government are funding research on the dispersal and viability of pollen of different crop species.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the (1) sites in the United Kingdom where genetically modified crops have been grown in breach of the licence conditions and (2) name 217W of (a) the promoter and (b) owner of the (i) trial and (ii) materials in the trial and (c) any other (A) body and (B) person responsible for conducting such trials. [72553]
§ Mr. RookerI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 29 March 1999,Official Report, column 457.