HC Deb 19 September 2002 vol 390 cc249-50W
Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee for the Adaptation to Technical and Scientific Progress and Implementation of the Directive on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [68548]

Mr. Meacher

The European Commission has not set a date for the next meeting of the regulatory committee established under Directive 2001–2018/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms.

The committee comprises representatives from member states, and the UK is usually represented by an official from this department. DEFRA is the UK lead department for international relations on these matters. The devolved administrations are fully involved in the preparation for regulatory committee discussions, and in any relevant follow-up work arising from them.

Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on procedures for the surveillance and monitoring of environments concerned by waste from the titanium dioxide industry is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [68564]

Mr. Meacher

The role of the Committee, which is set out in Article 10 of the Council Directive 82/882/EEC (OJ L 378, 31/12/1982, p. 1), is to give its opinion on any measures proposed by the Commission which are necessary to adapt the Decision's provisions to technical or scientific progress. This Committee has not met for more than 5 years and there are no meetings scheduled. Therefore the most recent meeting predated the establishment of the Scottish Executive in 1999, and potential UK representation has not been addressed. In the event of any meeting being scheduled, officials in this Department would, as a matter of course, liaise with their counterparts in the Scottish Executive.