Written question asked by Michael Meacher (Labour) on Friday, 26 March 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 April 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Monday, 19 April 2004 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 assessment she has made (a) of the extent to which the 1998-99 National List Trials for Chardon LL were (i) independent and (ii) impartial and (b) of their value in determining whether to place the variety on the National Seeds Register.

Answer: Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made (a) of the extent to which the 1998-99 National List Trials for Chardon LL were (i) independent and (ii) impartial and (b) of their value in determining whether to place the variety on the National Seeds Register. [164957] Mr. Morley: The National List trial programme for maize in 1998-9 comprised four trial sites in each year, plus a reserve site. A thorough evaluation of all the data used for the assessment of Chardon LL in National List trials was conducted by the independent experts on the Herbage Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) group. The group recommended that data from one site in 1999 should be excluded because of substandard plant populations. This was done and data from the reserve site used instead.

Secondary information