§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if agricultural crops 91W engineered to contain biopesticides will be regulated as foods or pesticides; and if he will make a statement. [66013]
§ Mr. RookerAgricultural crops that have been genetically modified to contain biopesticides are regulated under EC Directive (90/220) on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment rather than under pesticides legislation. Foods derived from such crops are regulated under the EC Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulation (258/97). The aim of both these sets of regulations is to ensure that all crops that have been modified to improve insect resistance, and their products, have been thoroughly assessed for environmental and food safety before being allowed onto the market. In this respect they provide comparable environmental and consumer protection to the legislation on pesticides.