HC Deb 30 March 2004 vol 419 cc1300-3W
Mr. Stephen O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the cost-benefit analysis undertaken by her Department regarding the impact on the UK economy of adding each new GM crop. [164021]

Mr. Morley

As part of the GM Dialogue the Strategy Unit carried out a study of the costs and benefits of GM crops. Their report 'Field Work: weighing up the costs and benefits of GM crops' was published on 11 July last year. The report concluded that GM crops could offer some cost and convenience advantages to UK farmers, although any economic benefit is likely to be limited in the short term as only a narrow range of existing GM crops are currently suited to UK conditions, and weak consumer demand may limit take-up. In the longer term it concluded that future developments in GM crops have the potential to offer more wide-ranging benefits, to both farmers and consumers.

We will agree to the commercial cultivation of a GM crop only if we are satisfied that it is safe, and we will provide genuine choice for consumers. Ultimately, it will be for farmers and consumers 10 assess individual GM seeds and products and decide via the normal operation of the market whether they want to buy them.

Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken to ensure that the Reading University cattle feeding studies involving Chardon LL fodder maize will be scientifically robust and independent of(a) Government and (b) GM crop technology companies. [163171]

Mr. Morley

The cattle feeding study carried out by Reading University was privately funded research. It is therefore not a matter for Government. I understand that the researchers intend to submit their study to a peer reviewed journal for publication so others will be able to assess the data when the peer review process is complete.

Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the Norwegian research on the safety of the CaMV promoter used in Chardon LL transgenic insert. [163205]

Mr. Morley

The reported new scientific evidence from Norway on the cauliflower mosaic virus promoter has yet to be published. When the details of this research do become available, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), which advises the Government on the risks posed by the intentional release of GMOs, will be asked to evaluate these data and advise on their implications for existing consents and future applications.

Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she gave consent for the harvested Chardon LL forage maize from FSE sites to be taken off-site and used: in cattle feeding studies at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research; and what conditions were attached to that consent. [163212]

Mr. Morley

The GM maize used in the farm scale evaluations has Europe-wide marketing consent for use in animal feed so no consent was required to use the harvested crop in the cattle feeding study carried out at the University of Reading.

Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Chardon LL cattle feeding studies at Reading University has cost public funds. [163214]

Mr. Morley

There has been no cost to public funds. I understand the study carried out at Reading University was privately funded.

Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what results she has obtained from the Chardon LL cattle feeding studies completed at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research in 2002.[163215]

Mr. Morley

I have not seen the results of this cattle feeding study, which was privately funded research undertaken by Reading University. Publication of the results of studies carried out by the university is a matter for them and those funding the work. However, I understand that the researchers intend to submit their study and the results to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the process will be for the formulation of GM coexistence and liability measures; [164424]

(2) if it will be permissible for GM Chardon LL maize to be grown commercially in the United Kingdom before liability and compensation measures have been fully established; and whether she intends that such measures will be based on the principle of perpetual liability; [164425]

(3) whether statutory coexistence and liability measures will be put in place before GM Chardon LL maize can be grown commercially in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [164426]

(4) what measures she is taking to ensure that farmers wishing to grow GM crops commercially comply with a code of practice based on the EU 0.9 per cent. labelling threshold for GM content; and if she will give them statutory backing. [164427]

Mr Morley

[holding answer 29 March 2004]The GM maize Chardon LL will not be grown commercially in the UK before spring 2005 at the very earliest. The Government aim to have co-existence measures in place before then. We are proposing that GM growers should follow a code of practice which has statutory backing, based on the 0.9 per cent. EU labelling threshold for GM presence. It is envisaged that the code will include measures such as crop separation distances to minimise GM cross-pollination. We will consult stakeholders on the details of this as soon as possible, on whether a threshold below 0.9 per cent. should apply for organic production, and on options for providing compensation to non-GM farmers who incur a financial loss because a GM presence exceeds statutory thresholds.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the process is for modifying the Part C consent of Chardon LL maize under Directive 90/220/EEC before it can be grown and managed in the United Kingdom. [164428]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 29 March 2004]On 9 March officials wrote to the French Competent Authority, which issued the relevant consents on behalf of the EU Member States, seeking amendments to the consent for Bayer T25 GM maize (Chardon LL) to limit herbicide use with the crop in line with ACRE'S advice. In accordance with Directive 2001/18 the French Competent Authority are required to forward an assessment report to the Commission who will forward it to all the other Member States. A collective EU decision will then be made on the proposal for amending the conditions of the consent.

Mrs. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the results obtained from the Chardon LL cattle feeding studies which were completed at the Reading University Centre for Dairy Research in 2002. [162981]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 23 March 2004]I understand this cattle feeding study was privately funded research undertaken by Reading university. Publication of the results of studies carried out by the university is a matter for them and those funding the work. However, I understand that the researchers intend to submit their study and the results to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Mr. Grogan

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether parliamentary approval will be required to allow the commercial growing of GM maize. [163509]

Mr. Morley

No. The procedures for assessing individual applications to grow GM crops are set out in EU Directive 2001/18 and in the implementing UK legislation. These were subject to parliamentary scrutiny at the time. The legislation provides for decisions to be taken on individual applications by Government. Final decisions on commercial approvals for GM crops are taken collectively by EU member states.

The Government's policy on the commercial growing of GM crops was set out in the statement to Parliament on 9 March.