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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she was informed that (a) the transgenic insert used in Chardon LL is unstable and (b) the variety would be incapable of passing the distinctiveness, uniformity and stability test under Directive 2001/18/EC. [160573] Mr. Morley: Chardon LL is a variety of the genetically modified maize known as T25. I understand that the Belgian Competent Authority under Directive 2001/18/ EC has published an analysis of the structure of the transgenic insert in GM maize T25 and that this was considered by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) at their meeting on 22 January 2004. ACRE advised that they needed to see the full detail of the Belgian reassessment before coming to a final view and this has been requested from the Belgian Competent Authority. However, their preliminary analysis was that the work did not necessarily indicate instability of the insert, but consisted of additional information available now due to recent improvements in methods for the analysis of transformation events. The requirement for distinctness, uniformity and stability testing falls under Directive 2002/53/EC and not 2001/18/EC. Chardon LL underwent such testing in France, according to internationally recognised methods and the protocol adopted by the Community Plant Variety Office, as required by the EU legislation. Chardon LL was found to be distinct, uniform and stable by the French testing authorities.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

160573; 419 c280W;419 c282W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Crops Genetics Genetically modified organisms Maize

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk