Welsh agriculture secretary bottles out of Assembly decision on GM 29 March 2000
Welsh Agriculture Secretary Christine Gwyther has ignored a recommendation from the Assembly's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and supported inclusion of a key genetically modified (GM) crop on the National Seed List. This decision paves the way for commercial licensing of GM crops for growing in the UK.
Gwyther has u-turned on her previous stated opposition to GM food and allowed listing of the maize. FOE has said that it will "pursue every possible avenue" to overturn her decision. It is calling on all Assembly members to pursue their rights as citizens of Wales to object to Gwyther's decision and call for a public hearing on the listing.
"We are deeply disappointed by Ms Gwyther's decision. It is an abject surrender to pressure from Downing Street. The Assembly gave a clear no to listing the Aventis maize. FOE proved that Wales had the power to say no. Public opinion in Wales clearly supported us. But Ms Gwyther has done the dirty deed on behalf of London politicians and the biotech industry, despite her previous clear statements in support of a GM free Wales," said Raoul Bhambral of Friends of the Earth Cymru.
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