Written question asked by Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru) on Friday, 12 March 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 26 March 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Friday, 26 March 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 research is being conducted into inter-species gene flow between GM maize and other plants.

Answer: Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research is being conducted into inter-species gene flow between GM maize and other plants. [162062] Mr. Morley: I am not aware of any research in the UK on inter-species gene flow between GM maize and other plants. The Department has commissioned a project looking at intra-specific gene flow between non-GM maize crops in existing maize crops in the UK using naturally occurring molecular markers. A small part of the project includes an examination of the likelihood of maize cross-pollinating with rye grass, a distantly related species. Maize originates in the Americas and there is no evidence that it can cross-pollinate with any UK species under natural conditions. More research has been conducted in central America where cultivated maize varieties grow alongside sexually compatible wild relatives, but the findings have no relevance to UK conditions. The GM science review recently assessed the evidence for inter-species gene flow (www.gmsciencedebate. org.uk, First report, Chapter 7.3). They concluded that in the UK, for crops including maize, that gene flow to wild relatives was `not an issue'.

Secondary information