§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place a copy of the specification for the BRIGHT research project, carried out by NIAB and funded by his Department, together with any interim results in the Library. [120718]
§ Ms QuinBRIGHT is a LINK project in the MAFF-sponsored Sustainable Arable Production through Precision Input Optimisation (SAPPIO) Programme. It is being conducted by a consortium of industry and academic partners grant aided by UK Government Departments. This consortium is responsible for publicity and has publicised the scientific approaches, objectives and progress of the research. The publicity programme includes articles in the MAFF-produced Agri-LINK Newsletter. The research is being conducted by the Institute for Arable Crops Research, the National Institute for Agricultural Botany, and the Scottish Agricultural College.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been undertaken by the Pesticides Safety Directorate into the impact of herbicides on genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops; and if he will publish the results. [120344]
§ Ms QuinThe Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) co-ordinates a research programme which supports the risk assessments carried out during the approval process and investigates ways of minimising pesticide use. This includes work on human health and environmental consequences of herbicide use.
The Government also support a number of projects on GMHT crops. In particular, the BRIGHT project, part funded by industry, includes work on the impact of herbicides on GMHT crops. This project started in April 1999 and is due to last for four years. The results will be published.
Companies have to provide detailed scientific safety data before the Government will consider approving the use of a given herbicide on a given GMHT crop.