Written question asked by Michael Meacher (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 9 December 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Royal Society was asked to check the methodology of the farm-scale evaluation research, with particular regard to the selection of the herbicide regimes. - (Holding answer 8 December 2003).

Answer: Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Royal Society was asked to check the methodology of the farm-scale evaluation research, with particular regard to the selection of the herbicide regimes. [142423] Mr. Morley :[holding answer 8 December 2003]: The Royal Society was not asked to check the methodology of the farm-scale evaluations. The independent scientific steering committee was established for this purpose, and the committee endorsed both the methodology generally and the herbicide regimes in particular. The work was again independently validated by the publishing journal, The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (Biological Sciences) that operates independently of the Royal Society through its peer review process.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 142423; 415 c379W
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Crops Genetically modified organisms Research Royal Society Weedkillers
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk