§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in his review of separation distances, he will take account of Advanta's statement concerning the distance between their GM rape seed crop and their conventional rape seed crop which was contaminated. [132653]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 25 July 2000]: The review will consider all the relevant information which is available on the Advanta incident. But no conclusion can be drawn yet on how Advanta's conventional seed came to include a low level of GM seed. The Canadian authorities are still investigating this.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps the Government have taken to identify which farms have been contaminated with GM products through the planting of oil seed rape; [123763]
(2) what plans he has to ensure that there is proper monitoring of crops contaminated with GM products through the planting of oil seed rape. [123765]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 5 June 2000]: The Government has written to all farmers who may have sown the affected seed varieties giving details of the relevant arrangements which have been made under the EU Arable Area Payments Scheme and warning them that it would be an offence to market crops grown from the affected seed lots. Government inspectors are auditing the arrangements put in place by Advanta Seeds (UK) Ltd. to identify the affected farmers and compensate them for the losses associated with crop destruction. We have also alerted processors of oilseed rape to the need to ensure that the affected crops are not marketed and do not enter the food chain.