§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department(a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake in 2003–04 into the health risks of GM foods. [130152]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) funds two extensive research programmes on the safety of genetically modified food. The first underpins the current safety assessment to ensure the most up to date knowledge is used. The second is a three-year programme that started in 2001. This investigates new and emerging scientific techniques (such as gene arrays, metabolomics and proteomics) and explores how they might be used to refine the current safety assessment.
This research is undertaken by independent research scientists and is peer reviewed before final reports are made publicly available through the FSA's library. Details of the research programme are published in the FSA's research and surveys programmes annual report and are available on the FSA website at www.foodstandards.gov.uk.