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Written question asked by Michael Meacher (Labour) on Monday, 5 January 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 January 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Monday, 12 January 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 of whether the pesticide regimes which may be approved for the cultivation of Chardon LL maize will be more aggressive than the regime adopted in the farm scale evaluation trials. - (Holding answer 8 January 2004).
Answer

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the pesticide regimes which may be approved for the cultivation of Chardon LL maize will be more aggressive than the regime adopted in the farm scale evaluation trials. [146619] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 8 January 2004]: Under Directive 2001/18/EC, the management practices associated with the cultivation of GM crops must be assessed for their environmental impact. Consequently, my Department will seek advice from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) as to whether the evidence provided by applicants about the specific management practices associated with a GM crop present an increased likelihood of adversely affecting the environment as compared to conventional practices associated with the cultivation of its non-GM counterpart. It would also be within the scope of Directive 2001/18/EC to include conditions to the consent that circumscribed the herbicide regime permitted, if this was felt to be appropriate. The farm scale evaluations provide important data with respect to current management practices, which will be invaluable in making this assessment. The data from the farm scale evaluation trials will, alongside other relevant data, also be considered as part of the scientific evaluation of any application for a commercial level of approval for the use of glufosinate ammonium on Chardon LL maize. Only if Ministers are satisfied, on the basis of the expert advice of the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides, that the particular use as proposed by the applicant on the draft product label is safe to people and the environment will approval be granted.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
416 c497-8W; 146619
Session
2003-04
Subjects
Crops Environment protection Genetically modified organisms Pesticides Maize Weedkillers
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk