HC Deb 19 March 1999 vol 327 cc877-8W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list consents he has given, specifying under what legal authority, for cultivation of genetically modified crops for(a) research and (b) sale; and for each consent the name of (i) applicant, (ii) company and (iii) owner, if different, (1) the area of (A) enclosed and (B) open tillage of the crop, and (2) its location; the purpose of (x) research and (y) sale, together with any purchaser if known, and the period of permission. [72562]

Mr. Meacher

The legal authority for giving consent for the cultivation of genetically modified crops for research purposes or for sale (placing on the market) arises from the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and associated regulations covering the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms. To date 153 consents for research purposes have been issued. The information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is available on the statutory public register held in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. With respect to the placing on the market of genetically modified crops, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 5 March 1999,Official Report, column 960.

Mr. Moss

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the(a) number, (b) type and (c) locations of genetically modified crops grown in (i) North East Cambridgeshire, (ii) Cambridgeshire and (iii) East Anglia; [73943]

(2) if he will list the (a) number, (b) type and (c) location of genetically modified crop testing sites in (i) North East Cambridgeshire, (ii) Cambridgeshire and (iii) East Anglia. [73944]

Mr. Meacher

The information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is already available to the public, as information on all consents given for the cultivation of genetically modified crops is contained in the statutory public register held in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he has discussed with representatives of the biotechnology industry the introduction of a voluntary three-year halt in the planting of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified crops; [77679]

(2) what steps his Department has taken to delay the commercial release of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified crops through voluntary agreements with the biotechnology industry. [77680]

Mr. Meacher

My officials have been discussing with representatives of the biotechnology industry their proposals for the introduction of genetically modified crops for commercial growing by farmers once all relevant approvals have been granted. My officials have also been seeking to obtain assurances from the biotechnology industry that the commercial introduction should be restrained until results from the farm scale evaluations indicate that commercial activity may take place in accordance with the concept of managed development as set out in my statement to the House of Lords on 21 October 1998.