§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been(a) commissioned by and (b) undertaken within his Department in respect of the specific safety of genetically modified food for consumption by (i) pregnant women and (ii) children in their first year. [72525]
§ Mr. RookerMy Department has not commissioned the specific research referred to. However, in assessing GM foods approved for sale in the UK, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes considers the safety ofall consumers from the youngest to the oldest, including pregnant women. The Committee has concluded that GM foods already approved for sale in the UK are as safe as their conventional counterparts for all sectors of the population.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the United Kingdom testing regime which was applied to determine safety for human consumption of the genetically modified foods currently on sale in the United Kingdom; what changes have been made to the testing regime; and what plans he has to change the testing regime. [72946]
§ Mr. RookerAll the genetically modified foods which are currently on sale were rigorously assessed for safety by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes under a voluntary scheme which was in operation prior to the introduction of the Novel Food Regulations in May 1997. Details of the regime operating at that time are contained in the ACNFP Annual Report for 1994, which can be found in the Library of the House. These foods have also been assessed by equivalent bodies in all other Member States.
Since May 1997, all novel food assessments have been carried out by the ACNFP in accordance with guidance produced by the European Commission Scientific for Food, which applies to all member states. A copy of this guidance, which does not differ in any significant way from the regime operated under the voluntary scheme, may also be found in the Library of the House.
791WI have no plans to ask for any changes to be made to the EC testing regime at this time.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when genetically modified(a) tomato purèe, (b) rennet for vegetarian cheese, (c) soya and (d) maize were first licensed; and for how long each licence lasts. [73263]
§ Mr. RookerMinisters first cleared these products for food use on the following dates.
- GM Tomato puree (paste) February 1995;
- chymosin for vegetarian cheese (produced from a GM micro-organism) May 1991;
- GM soya February 1995;
- GM maize May 1996.
These safety clearances apply on an indefinite basis but can be withdrawn at any time if this is judged, in the light of new information, to be necessary in order to protect human health.