§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what meetings he or his junior Ministers have had with(a) Friends of the Earth and (b) the National Farmers Union to discuss genetically modified crops; [88784]
(2) what plans (a) he and (b) his Ministerial colleagues have to meet representatives of Friends of the Earth; and when the next such meeting is due to take place. [89951]
8W
§ Mr. Meale[holding answer 28 June 1999]: Ministers in this Department are in regular contact with representatives of those with an interest in biotechnology-including environmental groups, consumer groups and biotechnology companies. It is not the normal practice of Governments to give details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the recent report entitled, Organic Farming and Gene Transfer from Genetically Modified Crops; and if he will make a statement [89151]
§ Mr. MealeThe report looked at organic farming and the issue of 'contamination' of organic crops and products by genetically modified (GM) crops. The issues raised by the report are ones not of safety but of consumer choice. No GM crops would be released into the environment if there were any reasons to believe that it would be harmful to human health or the environment. The recently published SCIMAC (Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops) guidelines set out proposed separation distances between genetically modified and organic crops and SCIMAC has indicted that it is willing to review these in the light of experience.