GM Crops (Hansard, 25 February 2004)

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Devolved Administrations in(a) Wales and (b) Scotland have made to her Department regarding the growing of Chardon LL maize in the UK. [154705]

§ Mr. Morley
The transformation event T25, contained in Chardon LL, already has a Part C marketing consent under Directive 2001/18/EC. Ministers are currently considering the advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment on the commercial cultivation of T25 maize in light of the results of the Farm Scale Evaluations. The UK's position will be decided in consultation with the Devolved Administrations. Discussions with the Administrations in Wales and Scotland are on—going on this matter.
The question of the possible addition of Chardon LL to the UK National Seed List is a matter for joint decision with the Devolved Administrations.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the acceptable threshold under EU law is for the contamination of non—GM crops planted in the UK with GM traits. [154706]

§ Mr. Morley
The EU has agreed a general threshold of 0.9 per cent. for tracing and labelling the adventitious presence of approved GM traits in non—GM crops and food. The European Commission's guidance to member states is that co—existence arrangements should not go beyond what is necessary to ensure that adventitious traces of GMOs stay below the tolerance thresholds set out in Community legislation.

§ Gregory Barker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to refuse permission for the planting of GM crops before bringing laws into effect on(a) co-existence and (b) liability. [154707]

§ Mr. Morley
We are currently considering our policy on co-existence and liability in the light of the report on these issues by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission. We will set out our response in due course.

§ Mr. Peter Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she will make in the Council of Ministers regarding the European Commission's decision to support a proposal to permit BT11 GM maize to be imported as food into Europe; and if she will make a statement. [152773]

§ Mr. Morley
This application has already been referred to our advisory body who have raised no objection on food and safety grounds. It will be discussed in Council in the normal way.