HC Deb 07 July 2000 vol 353 cc344-9W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the number and nature is of the responses he has received as a result of his paper of 8 June on Review of Separation Distances for GM Crops; and if he will place copies of the responses in the Library. [126087]

Ms Quin

At the time of writing 36 responses to the consultation letter have been received expressing a range of views. Copies of the responses will be placed in the House Libraries after the end of the consultation period, unless respondents specifically ask for their comments not to be made public.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the parties consulted regarding the review of separation distances for GM crops announced on 8 June. [126096]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 15 June 2000]: The review consultation document has been sent to the following organisations. Review of separation distances for GM crops: list of consulted organisations

  • ACRE members
  • Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Ltd.
  • Advanta Seeds Ltd.
  • Agra-Europe
  • Agrevo UK
  • Agrevo UK Crop Protection
  • Agricultural Risk Management Ltd.
  • AGROW World Crop Protection News
  • Apple and Pear Research Council
  • Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • ASDA Stores Ltd.
  • Association of Independent Crop Consultants
  • BASF plc—Agriculture Division
  • BBSRC
  • BCCA (Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionary Alliance)
  • Bee Farmers Association
  • Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association
  • Bioindustry Association—Amersham International
  • BOCM Pauls Ltd.
  • British Agrochemicals Association
  • British Association for Bio Fuels and Oils
  • British Association of Agricultural Consultants
  • British Beekeeping Association
  • British Confectioners Association
  • British Crop Protection Council
  • British Honey Packers and Importers Association of the UK
    • 345W
  • British Institute of Agricultural Consultants
  • British Potato Council
  • British Retail Consortium
  • British Society of Plant Breeders
  • British Sugar Beet Producers Association
  • British Sugar plc
  • Burson-Marsteller
  • Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd.
  • Cameron McKenna
  • Campden and Chorleywood
  • CCC—Technology
  • Centre for Food Policy
  • Chemical Industries Association
  • Coceral, Belgium
  • Consumers Association
  • Consumers in Europe Group
  • Council for the Protection of Rural England
  • Council of the National Beekeeping Associations of the UK
  • Country Landowners Association
  • CSL National Bee Unit
  • CWS Corporate Affairs
  • Cyanamid Agriculture UK
  • Dairy Industry Federation
  • Daiwa Institute of Research Europe Ltd.
  • Dalgety Agriculture Ltd.
  • DANI Plant Testing Station
  • Dawes and Moore
  • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
  • ECOTEC
  • ENDS
  • English Nature
  • Euro PA Associates
  • European Commission
  • European Public Policy Advisers
  • Farm and Food Society
  • Farmers Union of Wales
  • Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
  • Federation of Oils, Seeds, and Fats Association
  • Fertiliser Manufacturers Association
  • Food and Drink Federation
  • Food Certification (Scotland) Ltd.
  • Food From Britain
  • Forestry Commission
  • Friends of the Earth
  • Game Conservancy Trust
  • GEN
  • Genewatch
  • Genetics Forum
  • Government and Public Affairs—Europe
  • Grain and Feed Trade Association
  • Green Alliance
  • Green Network
  • Greenpeace
  • Hoescht UK Ltd.—Agriculture Division
  • Home Grown Cereals Authority
  • Horticultural Research International
  • Iceland Stores
  • Institute of Arable Crop Research
  • Institute of Environmental Science and Research
    • 346W
  • Institute of Food Research
  • Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research
  • Institute of Terrestrial Ecology
  • International Bee Research Association
  • Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association
  • ITE
  • Jetro London
  • John Innes Centre
  • Joint Nature Conservation Committee
  • Lion Seed Ltd.
  • Marks and Spencer plc
  • May and Dawson Ltd.
  • McBain Associates Ltd.
  • Milk Development Council
  • Monsanto UK
  • Moorland Association
  • Morely Research Centre
  • Naish Jones Ltd.
  • National Agriculture Centre
  • National Farmers Union
  • National Farmers Union (Wales)
  • National Federation of Consumer Groups
  • National Institute for Agricultural Botany
  • National Trust
  • Nestle UK Ltd.
  • NFU
  • NFU Scotland
  • Nickerson Seeds Ltd.
  • North of England Assembly of Local Authority
  • Northern Ireland Horticulture and Plant Breeding Station
  • Novartis Crop Protection UK Ltd.
  • Novartis Nutrition UK Ltd.
  • Novartis Seeds Ltd.
  • Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd.
  • Organic Food Federation
  • Pendragon Innovations Ltd.
  • Pioneer Overseas Corporation
  • Plant Breeding International Cambridge Ltd.
  • Proctor and Gamble Technical Centres Ltd.
  • Public Interest Consultants
  • RBG Kew
  • Rhone Polnec Agriculture Ltd.
  • Richard Gard Associates
  • Rikilt-Dlo
  • Royal Agricultural Society of England
  • Royal and Sun Alliance
  • Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
  • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
  • RURAL
  • SAC
  • SAFE Alliance
  • Safeway Stores plc
  • SAGE (Scarborough Against Genetic Engineering)
  • Sainsbury's Supermarkets
  • Schuttelaar and Partners
  • Scottish Agricultural College
  • Scottish Agriculture Science Agency
  • Scottish Beekeepers Association
  • Scottish Crop Research Institute
    • 347W
  • Scottish Natural Heritage
  • Scottish Organic Producers Association
  • Seed Crushers' and Oil Processors' Association
  • SERAD
  • Sharps International Seeds
  • Silsoe College
  • Silsoe Research Institute
  • Soft Drinks Association
  • Soil Association
  • Soil Association Certification Ltd.
  • South West Industrial Crops Ltd.
  • Teagasc, Rural Economy Research Centre
  • Tesco Technical Centre
  • The Apiary
  • The Countryside Agency
  • The Family Farmers' Association
  • The Institute of Agricultural Management
  • The National Trust
  • The Pesticides Trust
  • The Royal Society
  • The Tenant Farmers' Association
  • Tim Brigstocke Associates
  • Trading Standards Department
  • Trading Standards Department, Quality Food and Agricultural Division, Warwick
  • Trowers and Hamlin
  • Twickenham and Thames Valley Beekeepers' Association
  • UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association
  • UK Register of Organic Food Standards
  • UKREP
  • Ulster Beekeepers Association
  • Uniroyal Chemicals Ltd.
  • United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards
  • United Kingdom Sunflower Association
  • United Oilseeds
  • University of East Anglia
  • University of Newcastle
  • University of Portsmouth
  • University of Reading
  • University of Surrey
  • University of the West of England
  • Vegetarians International Voice for Animals
  • Welsh Beekeepers Association
  • West Country Co-op
  • Wildlife Trust
  • Wine Standards Board
  • Womens Farmers Union
  • World Wildlife Fund for Nature
  • Zeneca Agrochemicals
  • Zeneca Crop Protection
  • Zeneca Plant Science.

Jackie Ballard

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the proposal to add GM maize Chiodon LL to the NIAB approved list; and what plans he has to hold further consultations on this proposal. [127796]

Ms Quin

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford, (Joan Ruddock) on 22 May 2000,Official Report, columns 383–84W.

As required by the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982 (as amended), each of the 227 parties who have submitted formal written representations under regulation 21(2) have been supplied with copies of all of the written representations made. In view of the wide interest in the proposed decision, Ministers have agreed that all the parties who submitted such representations should be given an opportunity to comment, by 31 July, on the other representations made. No fees will be charged for making such further representations.

Jackie Ballard

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to review the fee for challenging the addition of a variety to the National Institute for Agricultural Botany approved list. [127795]

Ms Quin

The National Institution for Agricultural Bottany's recommended list is funded by industry and is not part of the statutory process of considering varieties for addition to the National List.

Fees for all National List services, including fees for making written representations and requesting a hearing, are reviewed at least once a year. The next review will start this autumn.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his inquiries have established the separation distance used between GM and non-GM crops in the production of the recently contaminated Advanta seeds from Canada. [127219]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 27 June 2000]: The separation distances used between GM and non-GM crops in the production of the recently contaminated Advanta seeds are still under investigation by the Canadian Authorities. The results of these investigations are not yet available.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the contracts between his Department and the Central Science Laboratory that are connected with GMOs. [127220]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 27 June 2000]: At present CSL are contracted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to undertake two GM-related research projects. One is a desk modelling study to assess the risks to the agricultural environment from the release of GM crops. The other is a review of the consequences for agriculture of the introduction of GM crops.

CSL are also contracted to provide advice on the plant health and agronomic aspects of GMOs.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the findings of the inquiry into the causes of the Advanta seeds contamination incident. [127217]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 27 June 2000]: The possible causes of the Advanta seeds contamination continue to be investigated by the Canadian authorities. The results of their investigations are not yet available the Department.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000,Official Report, column 357W, on what occasions in the last 12 months the Government have received information on GM seed contamination incidents from EU member states; and what information was received. [126818]

Mr. Nick Brown

[holding answer 19 June 2000]: At the meeting of EU and EEA/EFTA seed certification agencies, on 2–5 May this year, Greece reported an incident involving the suspected adventitious presence of GM seed in conventional cotton seed.

Information on the recent discovery of GM rapeseed in conventional rapeseed has been shared between the affected member states.

Following reports in the French press last week that the French authorities have discovered low levels of GM presence in conventional maize seed imported into France, we contacted the French authorities, who confirmed on 30 June that they had indeed found some GM seed in conventional maize seed, which has been sown in South West France. Further information now indicates that they have found three different modifications in a number of varieties of forage maize imported into France by the company Golden Harvest. The French authorities have not yet confirmed which varieties of maize seed are involved, but have confirmed that sweetcorn varieties are not affected by their current investigations. We are seeking further information from them on the varieties concerned. However, as the varieties concerned are cultivated in Southern France, it is possible that they would be unsuitable for cultivation in UK conditions.

The GMs found in maize samples by the French authorities are BT 176 and BT 11, and one further, as yet unidentified, modification. BT 176 is insect resistant and has Part C consent within the EU under Directive 90/220 for import, food and feed use, and for cultivation. BT 11 is insect resistant and has Part C consent for import and use in animal feed. Pending further information from the French authorities, my Department, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the Food Standards Agency are considering what the implications would be should further investigations indicate that affected seed might have been sown in the UK.

Mr. Alasdair Morgan

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Ministry was informed of the contamination of seed by GM seed in crops planted before this calendar year. [126630]

Ms Quin

I refer the hon. Member to the information given by my right hon. Friend the Minister in the debate on 8 June 2000,Official Report, column 493.

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