HC Deb 22 April 2004 vol 420 cc585-6W
Mr. Simon Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the (a) sampling procedures used in the Chardon LL VCU trials and (b) statistical validity of the results obtained. [166345]

Mr. Morley

The sampling procedures used in the Chardon LL Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials were those specified in the trials protocol and used for all maize variety VCU trials. The procedures are designed to ensure that samples used in trials are as representative as possible of the variety in general. The results of the trials for Chardon LL were reviewed by maize trials experts on the Herbage VCU Group and members of the Interdepartmental Statisticians Group, who confirmed their statistical validity.