§ 19. Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on liaison arrangements between his Ministry and the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with regard to genetically modified organisms. [83866]
§ Mr. RookerThe statutory controls under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992, as amended, require that before GMOs can be released into the environment, the Secretary of State for the Environment must issue a consent. UK Agriculture Ministers act jointly with the Secretary of State where they have an interest. Both Departments also work closely together on all non-statutory matters relating to the potential impact of GMOs on the environment.