Herbicide-tolerant and Insect-resistant Crops

HL Deb 11 May 1999 vol 600 cc142-3WA

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Mr. Rooker on 11 March (HC Deb., WA 337), what were the grounds on which they decided not to accept the recommendations of English Nature concerning herbicide tolerance and insect-resistant crops; whether they have since come to a different conclusion; and, if so, what is that conclusion. [HL2290]

Lord Donoughue

The Government believe that the necessary protection of the environment can be achieved without the moratorium on herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant crops recommended by English Nature. We have set up the farm-scale evaluations starting this year to test the impact of herbicide-tolerant crops on farmland biodiversity, while insect-resistant crops are not currently being developed for commercial growing in the UK. Moreover, our legal advice is that it is unlikely that the Government could successfully defend a general moratorium on GM crops.