---

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many man hours are spent by officials at the Health and Safety Executive on monitoring and enforcing the regulations and guidelines covering genetically modified organisms; what estimate he has made of the expected growth in this amount of working time should the United Kingdom allow the expansion to commercial growing; and what is his estimate of the costs involved. [67753] Mr. Meale: The regulations and guidelines in Great Britain covering genetically modified organisms can be divided into those covering deliberate releases (typically the controlled growing of crops on designated sites) and those covering contained use (typically developmental work involving organisms, animals and plants in laboratories or glass houses). The Health and Safety Executive inspects and enforces the regulations covering the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms under an agency agreement with the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions (DETR). In the current working year, 888 hours (120 days or 0.57 person/years) are allocated for inspection and enforcement. For contained use, in the current year, 1,665 hours (225 days or 1.07 person/years) are allocated for inspection and enforcement. Contained use work will not be affected by any expansion in commercial growing. If the UK proceeds to commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops, the resources will be increased proportionally to take into account any additional inspection and enforcement duties.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

67753; 324 c333W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Costs Civil servants Enforcement Genetically modified organisms Health and Safety Executive Regulation Statutory instruments