§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she is taking to increase international co-operation on issues relating to genetically modified organisms. [117726]
§ Mr. StringerInternational co-operation is a crucial part of this Government's policy in biotechnology, which gives priority to the protection of human health and the environment. The UK is active in a number of international bodies, including the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the Codex Alimentarius group. It has pressed at European level on issues such as GM food labelling and releases of GMOs to the environment; and in January negotiated the United Nations Programme Biosafety Protocol. Most recently, it successfully hosted an OECD conference on GM food safety in Edinburgh. We will be discussing the results of that conference, including the recommendation for an international scientific advisory panel on GM food and environmental safety, with G8 partners and developing countries in advance of the next G8 summit.