Written question asked by Anthony Steen (Conservative) on Tuesday, 14 March 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 17 March 2006. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 March 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Varietal Genetic Use Restriction Technologies

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with whom (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her Department have held discussions on varietal genetic use restriction technologies since 1 January 2005; and when those meetings were held.

Answer: [holding answer 17 March 2006]: Varietal genetic use restriction technologies were discussed recently at a meeting which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity held with a number of representatives of non-governmental organisations on 15 February 2006. This was followed up by a meeting with officials on 6 March.These technologies are a subject which has arisen several times in meetings attended both by Ministers and officials of this Department since 1 January 2005, mostly as part of a general discussion on GMOs. Unfortunately, however, no records are kept which would allow the compilation of a definitive and comprehensive list of all the meetings attended by Ministers and officials at which these technologies were discussed since that date. None involved outside parties.

Secondary information