Archived press release

Credibility of GM debate hangs by a thread

21 March 2003

The credibility of the independent public debate on the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) food and crops is in the balance following today's open meeting of the Debate Steering Board [1].

Members of the Debate Steering Board expressed concern at the meeting that a DEFRA private briefing of media correspondents earlier in the week (Tues 18th March) had resulted in articles stating that:

"GOVERNMENT officials have confirmed that this summer's debate on GM crops will not influence whether they are grown in the UK." (Farmers' Weekly Interactive 19 March 2003)

Chairman of the debate steering board Professor Malcolm Grant said he had written to DEFRA Secretary of State Margaret Beckett to seek "reassurance that we are not wasting our time".

Other members expressed concern that if decisions on commercialising GM crops were made in the run up or during the debate, the credibility and value of the debate in the eyes of the public would be seriously damaged. The principle aim of the GM debate clearly included consideration of whether GM food and crops should be grown commercially in the UK [2].

There are currently 19 applications submitted through the EU (two to the UK) for commercial marketing consents for GM seeds. The UK is required to give an opinion on all of them in a rigid time-scale set down by EC Directive. This means that the UK has to say yes or no to each application during the debate. However, the Government can ask for more information on the applications which would delay the decision making process.

Friends of the Earth real food campaigner Pete Riley said:

"The public credibility of the GM public debate is hanging by a thread. The Secretary of State must make an unequivocal statement that the Government will listen to the views of the public, as gathered through the GM Public Debate, before making a decision on the commercialisation of GM. Otherwise the Debate Steering Committee are right to think they are wasting their time. Ministers must also provide an assurance that they will not give an opinion on any application until after the debate. Failure to provide such assurances will seriously undermine the whole debate in the eyes of the public".

Notes

1. Meeting of the GM Public Debate Steering Board held at the Institute of Civil Engineers, Thursday 20^th March, 10.30am

2. The principal aim of the GM public debate is to:

"Promote an innovative, effective and deliberative programme of debate on GM issues, framed by the public, against the background of the possible commercial production of GM crops in the UK and the options for possibly proceeding with this. Through the debate, provide meaningful information to

Government about the nature and spectrum of the public's views, particularly at grass roots level, to inform decision-making."

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust