§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to place genetically modified seeds on the National Seeds List; if any seeds so listed could thereby be used legally in animal feed; and if he will make it his policy not to list any GM seeds until the current programme of safety research has been completed. [109593]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 11 February 2000]: Ministers are required by the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982 (as amended) to consider 592W applications for the entry of plant varieties to the UK National List. Such applications are considered against the requirements of these regulations: namely that a variety is distinct, uniform and stable (DUS) and has a value for cultivation and use (VCU) over those varieties already on the National List. Where the statutory criteria are met, a variety may be proposed for addition to the National List, and where they are not, it is proposed for refusal for addition to the National List. People affected by the proposed decision may make representations and be heard before the decision is taken.
In addition, before a GM plant variety may be proposed for addition to the National List, a marketing consent must have been promulgated under Directive 90/220/EEC, and where appropriate, clearance obtained under the Novel Foods Regulation No.258/97/EEC. Where all of these criteria have been met, a proposal may be made for addition of a plant variety to the National List.A GM forage maize variety (CHARDON LL) has completed National List tests and trials. The trait involved has a marketing clearance under Directive 90/220/EEC, including use for animal feed. It also has clearance under the Novel Foods Regulation. The application for the addition of this variety to the National List is being considered and a decision is likely to be taken shortly about whether to propose the variety for addition to the National List.
The UK's farm scale evaluation programme is additional to the environmental and health assessments of GM crops referred to above. The recent agreement between Government and SCIMAC precludes the general commercialisation of GM maize until 2003 at the earliest—subject to the results of the farm-scale evaluation programme. The programme is intended to provide objective evidence of the effect of growing of these GM crops on a farm scale on biodiversity.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the antibiotic marker genes, and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, that have been used in the genetic modification of crops which are used as animal feed in the United Kingdom. [109594]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 11 February 2000]: Kanamycin and ampicillin resistance marker genes, in either complete or disrupted form, have been used in crops which could be used principally in the form of processed by-products in animal feed. These crops are not grown commercially in this country.