Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has(a) to hold a public meeting in Gloucestershire and (b) to inform the local parish council, about the GM crop trials being conducted in Laverton, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement about these trials. [117663]
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§ Mr. MeacherThere will be a public meeting in Worcester on Thursday 13 April. Representatives of all parish councils, in which GM crop trials, are proposed, in Worcestershire and J3loucestershire have been invited and the meeting has been advertised locally.
The Government's Farm Scale Evaluations programme, which I announced on 17 March, is designed to allow independent researchers to see what effect the growing and management of certain herbicide tolerant GM crops might have on farmland wildlife, compared with equivalent non-GM crops. The programme this year will involve up to 80 field sites.
Up to 12 public meetings will be held in towns near the trial sites, at which officials from my Department and representatives from the independent researchers, the industry body, SCIMAC, and a representative from an environmental group, will give presentations about the Farm Scale Evaluations programme and answer questions.