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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what opinions the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment has received from the Advisory Committee on Feedingstuffs (ACAF) on the dossier of evidence presented by Aventis in support of its application for marketing consent for T25 GM maize, with particular reference to their opinion on the chicken feeding study; and if she will place a copy of ACAF's opinion in respect of (a) the whole dossier and (b) the chicken feeding study in the Library. [4932] Mr. Meacher: [holding answer 19 July 2002]: At the request of the department, The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) has, since November 2000, been considering the criticisms of the safety of Aventis' (formerly AgrEvo and now Bayer Cropscience) GM maize, T25, which has been raised at the hearing into the addition of CHARDON LL (a variety of T25) to the national list of seeds. ACRE subsequently requested advice from ACAF on the animal feed aspects of the criticisms. AgrEvo applied in 1995 through the French authorities for approval under EU directive 90/220 to place its GM T25 maize on the European market for cultivation and use as animal feed. In June 1995 France circulated the dossier to the other member states with the recommendation that T25 maize be given approval. After due consideration European Union member states approved the marketing of T25 maize in 1998. As part of this process ACRE considered the French opinion and dossier supporting the application and gave its advice to the government in June 1996. This was prior to the formation of ACAF. The chicken feeding study was not part of the original dossier submitted in 1996 and so was not considered by ACRE. A summary of the study was circulated by the French in 1997 as supplementary information on the nutritional qualities of the maize. The French authorities were of the view that the study did not add any significant new information to the dossier. Officials in MAFF considered the study, but as it was a nutritional rather than a safety study, it was not sent to ACRE. In reconsidering aspects of the T25 maize dossier ACRE has asked ACAF to look at the available data and advise on the substance of the criticisms raised at the CHARDONLL hearing in relation to animal feed and in particular the mortality rate in the chicken study. The growth rates in the two groups were broadly equivalent, but of the 140 fed T25 maize grain, 10 chicks (7 per cent.) died, whereas only 5 of the 140 (3.5 per cent.) died in the control group. In this type of experiment up to 8 per cent. would be expected to die. So the mortality rate is within the expected range. The question raised in the CHARDONLL is whether this is of concern and worthy of further investigation. A copy of the letter of 5 September 2001 from ACAF to ACRE setting out the committee's views on the whole dossier and the chicken feeding study has been placed in the Library. A copy is also on the public register held by my Department in Ashdown House In summary, ACAF is satisfied that, on the basis of the information presented by AgroEvo, there is nothing to indicate that T25 maize grain or its products pose any more risk to animals or humans than non-GM maize varieties if used in animal feed. I have asked ACAF for their reasons for this conclusion. However, ACAF advised ACRE that the data in the dossier are not sufficient to conclude at this stage, that T25 silage (rather than grain) is substantially equivalent to other maize varieties. Although it is unlikely that T25 maize silage is unsafe to feed to animals, its equivalence should be confirmed. The UK regulatory authority has subsequently written to Aventis to request further data on the composition of T25 silage. ACRE has given preliminary advice that nothing has been raised that warrants taking immediate action under the directive to withdraw T25 maize from the market. ACRE will shortly be issuing its advice on concerns raised during the CHARDON LL hearing, including criticisms of the chicken feeding study. This advice will also include ACRE's response to points raised at its T25 maize open hearing held in February 2002. At their hearing the Committee, in conjunction with ACAF, invited a number of witnesses and experts including Dr. Kestin and Dr. Knowles. Guided by the evidence taken at this meeting, any subsequent comments on the evidence from the public and the background information that is already available, ACRE will advise Ministers further on the validity of the T25 risk assessment.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

4932; 392 c356-8W;392 c375-7W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Crops Animal feed Licensing Genetically modified organisms Food Poultry Marketing Research Maize Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment Sanofi-Aventis Animal Feedingstuffs Advisory Committee

Link

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