§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many public meetings her officials have spoken at on the subject of genetically modified food and crops in each year since 1999; how many reports of such meetings have been written up by her officials; and if she will place copies of them in the Library. [86171]]
§ Mr. MeacherOn the specific issue of the Farm Scale Evaluation GM Crop trials, officials have spoken at public meetings organised either by the Department, or by parish councils in parishes where the trials were to take place. There were 14 such meetings in 2000, 15 in 2001 and five in 2002; none were held in 1999. Notes were produced by officials for 11 of these meetings. Copies will be placed in the Library. Officials have also612W spoken on wider GM issues at a number of other public meetings since 1999, but official records on the number of, or reports of, the meetings are not kept.