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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has (a) been, and (b) asked to be, informed of the locations in the United Kingdom where Advanta Seeds UK's conventional rapeseed sown in 1999 and 2000 contained genetically modified rapeseed; and if he will place copies of written information in his possession on such locations in the Library. [126172] Mr. Meacher: [holding answer 15 June 2000]: The presence of the GM seed was not discovered until this year and therefore no action has been taken to find out where it was sown in 1999. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have written to all farmers who have sown the relevant Hyola varieties this year, to clarify the subsidy position and inform them that if they received seed from the specific batches that were affected, their crops must not be marketed in the EU. Advanta have put in place their own arrangements to identify and compensate farmers and the Government's inspectors, the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), will audit these arrangements to ensure that none of the affected oil seed rape enters the food chain. In light of these measures, and in light of the advice that the growing of these seeds does not pose a threat to human health or the environment, I have not been, or asked to be, informed of the exact locations where the affected Advanta seeds were sown.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

126172; 354 c782W;354 c781-2W

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Disclosure of information Crops Contamination Genetically modified organisms Location Seeds Oilseed rape Advanta Seeds

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk