§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what recent communications he has received from the European Commission regarding the inclusion of(a) 98/294/CE ELGINA Monsanto Bt maize, (b) 97/98/CE COMPA CB Novartis Bt/Ht maize, (c) 97/98/CE JORDI CB Novartis Bt/Ht maize and (d) 98/293/CE CHARDON LL Aventis Ht maize GM seeds in the EU Common Catalogue; and if he will make a statement; [110289]
(2) what recent advice he has received about the inclusion of (a) 98/294/CE ELGINA Monsanto Bt/Maize, (b) 97/98/CE COMPA CB Novartis Bt/Ht Maize, (c) 97/98/CE JORDI CB Novartis Bt/Ht Maize and (d) 98/293/CE CHARDON LL Aventis Ht Maize GM seeds in the EU Common Catalogue; and if he will make a statement [110323]
(3) if EU marketing consent has been given for 97/98/CE JORDI CB Novartis Bt/herbicide tolerant maize; on which national seeds lists the seeds are currently included; and if they are subject to field trials in any EU state. [110292]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 15 February 2000]: The EU Commission has written to member states informing them of their proposal to add these varieties to the Common Catalogue, and inviting comments on that proposal. Inclusion on the Common Catalogue is governed by the requirements of EU Directive 70/457 as amended recently by Directive 98/95. It is for the Commission to determine whether all of the requirements of the Directives have been met. We do not have information about field trials in other member states, but CHARDON LL is on the Dutch National List, ELGINA is on the Portuguese National List, COMPA CB is on the Portuguese and Spanish National Lists and JORDI is on the Spanish National List.
590WInclusion on the Common Catalogue would not practically affect the position in the UK where the voluntary agreement with the seeds/biotec industry ensures that no marketing of these GM varieties will take place until the current programme of farm scale trials has been completed satisfactorily and independently evaluated.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to lay the draft Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2000 before Parliament. [110322]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 15 February 2000]: The consultation period on these draft Regulations ended on 31 January 2000. We are currently considering the responses we have received and will bring the Regulations before Parliament as soon as possible.