§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the level of Government funding is for the application of(a) genomics and (b) genetic modification to the needs of British agriculture. [153371]
§ Mr. Nick BrownFunding by MAFF in 2000–01 for genomics research and development is £11 million and for genetic modification research and development, including risks to the agricultural environment from genetic modification, is £3.4 million.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he received a report from the Canadian authorities on the causes of the Advanta seed contamination last year. [153229]
§ Mr. Nick BrownI refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 March 2001,Official Report, columns 345–46W.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the report his Department has completed on the review of separation distances for GM field trials. [153224]
§ Mr. Nick BrownI refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 March 2001,Official Report, column 345W.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government advise the removal of flower heads from current winter and imminent spring trials as a precautionary measure. [153233]
§ Mr. Nick BrownI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 5 March 2001,Official Report, columns 56–57W.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the GM sugarbeet trials scheduled for this year involve expense on the part of the Government. [153230]
27W
§ Mr. Nick BrownI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 1 March 2001,Official Report, column 724W.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has been briefed on the report "Elements of Precaution" from the Royal Society of Canada into genetically modified crops; and if he will make a statement. [153239]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe report covers various aspects of the regulation of food biotechnology and was written specifically for the Canadian authorities. The recommendations in the report therefore reflect the existing regulatory system in that country. The European Union has a very stringent control regime for GM crops and food, one which gives a clear priority to safeguarding public health and the environment.
§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with reference to the GM oilseed rape trials being held in the UK for Aventis, what proportion of the seeds produced by each of the trials of a Fl hybrid oilseed rape will be sterile; in which of the trials the barnase gene and barstar gene will be present in the oil seed rape to be grown; if the barnase and barstar genes involve terminator technology; and which of the trials involve seeds which are sterile. [157261]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 6 April 2001]GM oilseed rape hybrids produced by Aventis are currently being trialled under the Farm Scale Evaluation programme and for National List and other research purposes. The hybridity system is the same in each case. Each plan carries separate genes that encode for male sterility (barnase) and fertility restoration (barstar) respectively. The seed produced by these plants is viable and therefore terminator technology is not involved. Detailed technical background on this type of oilseed rape is given in a paper by the Advisory Committee on Releases on the Environment entitled "Environmental Risks of Herbicide-Tolerant Oilseed Rape—A Review of the PGS Hybrid Oilseed Rape." This is available at www.environment.detr.gov.uk/acre.