Written question asked by Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru) on Monday, 3 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 13 November 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Thursday, 13 November 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, what yield penalty she predicts for GM crops if they are grown in the future using the management and herbicide regimes employed during the Field Scale Evaluation programme. - Including ref to GM crop DIR2001/18/EC.

Answer: Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what yield penalty she predicts for GM crops if they are grown in the future using the management and herbicide regimes employed during the Field Scale Evaluation programme. [136804] Mr. Morley :[holding answer 6 November 2003]: Any new variety of a GM crop which has been approved for cultivation under Directive 2001/18 also has to comply with the relevant seeds legislation before it can be added to the National List or the EU common catalogue of plant varieties. The new variety must conform with certain requirements which include an assessment of its value for cultivation and use. The yield achieved in commercial cultivation of a crop depends on many factors including the particular variety chosen, the management system, the quality of the farmland, weather conditions and so on. Therefore predictions cannot be made.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 136804; 413 c411W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Crops Genetically modified organisms Pesticides Research Weedkillers
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk