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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from (a) the Department of Health, (b) the Health Protection Agency and (c) the Countryside Agency regarding the consultation documents (i) Plans for greater access to information about crop spraying and (ii) Proposals...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 December 2003

Reference

141961; 415 c375-6W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what basis the herbicide regime for use on GM maize was chosen for the farm-scale trials; what role Aventis (now Bayer) had in its choice; what international research was conducted to establish whether this was a commercially...

Asked by

Michael Meacher (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 December 2003

For answer on

9 December 2003

Answered on

9 December 2003

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) on what basis the herbicide regime for use on GM maize was chosen for the farm-scale trials; what role Aventis (now Bayer) had in its choice; what international research was conducted to establish whether this was a commercially realistic regime to control weeds; and what research she has conducted on whether farmers in other countries use more aggressive herbicide mixes; [142304] (2) what arrangements were made to ensure that farmers growing the GM trial crops managed them in a commercially realistic manner; and whether they were (a) required and (b) allowed to respray if the crop was under threat from excess weeds and was unlikely to produce an optimum yield. [142305] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 8 December 2003]: The herbicide regime used by farmers growing GM maize in the farm-scale trials was proposed by the product manufacturer, AgrEvo (now Bayer Crop Science). The way farmers could then use the product was further specified under the terms of the draft product label in line with the experimental approval. The draft product label gave farmers the freedom to apply more than one application of the herbicide if they required, providing it was within the specified crop growth stage limits. The experimental approval assumed use of the herbicide under UK conditions. No research was conducted on the method of use of this or any other herbicides in other countries as this was not considered necessary. The Scientific Steering Committee overseeing the farm-scale evaluations (FSEs) were content from the outset that the proposals for the use of the pesticide provided by the manufacturers and specified in the draft product label were capable of delivering cost-effective weed control under UK conditions. A full audit of herbicide use was conducted as part of the FSEs and published as part of the results (Champion et al. 2003). This paper also gives details of the number of GM maize fields that received more than one application of herbicide. In the published results it was concluded that cost-effective weed control had been achieved. This conclusion was endorsed by the steering committee and was further validated by the publishing journal through their peer-review process.

Date

9 December 2003

Reference

415 c379W; 142304;142305

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Royal Society was asked to check the methodology of the farm-scale evaluation research, with particular regard to the selection of the herbicide regimes. - (Holding answer 8 December 2003).

Asked by

Michael Meacher (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 December 2003

Reference

142423; 415 c379W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for a formal public consultation on greater access to information on crop spraying; what plans she has to implement (a) a mandatory and (b) a voluntary pilot for proposals in the consultation paper, Plans...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 December 2003

Reference

415 c376W; 141963;141966

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the (a) dose, (b) timing, (c) formulation and (d) method of application of the herbicide selected for use on GM maize in the farm scale evaluations was modelled upon the standard commercially adopted herbicide regimes used on...

Asked by

Alan Simpson (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

4 December 2003

Reference

415 c145W; 140770

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what research the choice of (a) dose, (b) timing, (c) formulation and (d) method of application of the herbicide used on GM maize in the farm scale evaluations was based.

Asked by

Alan Simpson (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 November 2003

Reference

413 c896W; 139804

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made through (a) research commissioned by her Department, (b) farm scale trials and (c) other research of the potential for GM herbicide tolerant plants to create herbicide tolerant hybrid weeds; and what the results...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

12 November 2003

For answer on

19 November 2003

Answered on

19 November 2003

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment has been made through (a) research commissioned by her Department, (b) farm scale trials and (c) other research of the potential for GM herbicide tolerant plants to create herbicide tolerant hybrid weeds; and what the results of that research were; [139018] (2) what assessment her Department has made of the (a) likelihood and (b) impact of hybridisation of GM oilseed rape. [139156] Mr. Morley: There has been considerable research investigating hybridisation between GM and non-GM crops, including the crops studied in the Farm Scale Evaluations, and between GM crops and wild relatives. This includes studies commissioned by my Department (e.g. "Monitoring large scale releases of genetically modified crops, incorporating report on project EPG 1/5/30: monitoring releases of genetically modified crop plants" (December 2002)), studies carried out in parallel with the Farm Scale Evaluations (e.g. "Gene Flow Monitoring from the GM Crop FSE Sites: Monitoring Gene Flow from the GM Crop to Non-GM Equivalent Crops in the Vicinity. Part 1: Forage Maize" (October 2003)) and other research published in scientific journals (e.g. Wilkinson et al. (2003) Science online www.scienceexpress.org (9 October 2003)). The issues of gene flow and hybridisation between GM and non-GM crops are addressed in Chapter 7 of the GM Science Review published in July 2003 (http://www. gmsciencedebate.org.uk/). The impact of hybridisation between herbicide tolerant GM crops and other crops or wild relatives is considered as part of the risk assessment carried out prior to any decision to authorise the release of herbicide-tolerant GM crops.

Date

19 November 2003

Reference

413 c894-5W;413 c893-4W; 139018;139156

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information she has received about whether the planting of GM crops would lead to a change in the use of (a) pesticides and (b) chemical weed killers.

Asked by

Lord Barker of Battle (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

19 November 2003

Reference

138813; 413 c893W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has held with the Royal Society in respect of herbicide regimes used within the farm scale evaluations.

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

18 November 2003

Reference

139020; 413 c718W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent evidence there is on the impact of the effect of herbicide use on GM maize, with particular reference to levels of herbicide use; and what assessment has been made of that evidence.

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

18 November 2003

Reference

139019; 413 c717-8W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether in the GM farm scale evaluations (a) commercially useful yield, (b) starch and (c) dry matter measurements of the final GM maize crop were independently obtained to confirm whether the use of this herbicide regime would allow...

Asked by

Alan Simpson (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

137656; 413 c411W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when during the GM farm scale evaluations she was informed that neither the use of Liberty alone on GM maize nor the use of Atrazine on the non-GM control crop would replicate the herbicide use and management regimes...

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 November 2003

For answer on

13 November 2003

Answered on

13 November 2003

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when during the GM farm scale evaluations she was informed that neither the use of Liberty alone on GM maize nor the use of Atrazine on the non-GM control crop would replicate the herbicide use and management regimes which would be used in commercial plantings in the UK in future years. [136808] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 6 November 2003]: The farm-scale evaluations were set up to assess the relative impact on wildlife of GM and non-GM management of four crops, based on practices current at the time. They were not set up to investigate the impact of any potential future management changes for either crop, although they will provide an invaluable baseline in our understanding of any such future changes. The decision to phase out Atrazine in the EU was taken on 3 October 2003, over a year after the completion of the last maize field trials. During the time of the trials (1999-2002) conventional maize practice predominately involved the use of Atrazine; this therefore formed a large part of the sample of FSE fields. In 2002 some evidence emerged that farmers in the US often mixed Atrazine with glufosinate ammonium for use on GM maize crops. In the FSE, farmers of GM maize used glufosinate ammonium alone. The industry asserted that the UK and US differed in conditions and that glufosinate ammonium alone was typical of the likely practice in the UK. The scientific steering committee, whose role it is to advise me on the conduct of the FSE, considered that in the absence of evidence either way to justify the need for Atrazine to be used in conjunction with glufosinate ammonium in the UK that trials would continue as before. Accordingly, I was not advised that any action was necessary. Now that Atrazine is being phased out it clearly will not be permitted on any fodder maize crop, GM or otherwise. However, the issue of whether other licensed herbicides could be mixed with glufosinate ammonium on GM crops remains.

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

136808; 413 c413-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) herbicide mixes and (b) levels of application per hectare she proposes to permit for commercial cultivation of GM maize; and whether these differ from the levels used in the farm scale evaluations. - (Holding answer 6...

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 November 2003

For answer on

13 November 2003

Answered on

13 November 2003

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) herbicide mixes and (b) levels of application per hectare she proposes to permit for commercial cultivation of GM maize; and whether these differ from the levels used in the farm scale evaluations. [136807] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 6 November 2003]: All pesticide products are approved on an individual basis. Only when we are satisfied that a pesticide is safe for the proposed use will approval for that use be granted. Growers may only use approved herbicides in a mixture in compliance with the statutory conditions of approval for each of the products. In practice throughout the farm scale evaluations growers used the herbicide glufosinate ammonium alone on the GM maize fields. The recommended individual and maximum permitted application rates of the herbicide glufosinate ammonium used on GM maize in the farm-scale evaluations were defined by the conditions of the simulated product licence that formed part of the experimental pesticide approval. This specified a maximum permitted rate of 8 litres per hectare and a recommended individual rate of 4 litres per hectare, depending on the weeds present and their growth stage. Application was permitted until the nine-leaf stage of maize. Before glufosinate ammonium could be used on a commercial scale on GM maize it would need full pesticide approval. In seeking approval the necessary data package would have to be supplied by the applicant and be subjected to the considerations of human and environmental safety which have been established for all pesticide uses. Any approval given would specify recommended and maximum application rates in the same way as the experimental permit. These conditions would be determined by the Pesticide Safety Directorate taking due account of advice from their expert advisory committee the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. Where appropriate we shall be seeking to specify the management systems for the cultivation of GM crops through the conditions imposed with the consent.

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

136807; 413 c412-3W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measurements of GM crop yield were made during the recently completed Farm Scale Evaluation research programme to assess the commercial viability of the herbicide regimes adopted. - (Holding answer 6 November 2003).

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

136806; 413 c412W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what yield penalty she predicts for GM crops if they are grown in the future using the management and herbicide regimes employed during the Field Scale Evaluation programme. - Including ref to GM crop DIR2001/18/EC.

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

136804; 413 c411W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on (a) research into the overall efficacy of the Liberty (GA) herbicide regime in the Farm Scale Evaluation of GM maize and (b) research in the UK and other countries on the...

Asked by

Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

13 November 2003

Reference

136805; 413 c412W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what spray density in litres per hectare was used in the GM maize farmscale evaluation programme; and what spray density she expects will be used if commercial cultivation of GM maize goes ahead. - Inc ref to Champion...

Asked by

Alan Simpson (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

31 October 2003

For answer on

5 November 2003

Answered on

5 November 2003

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what spray density in litres per hectare was used in the GM maize farmscale evaluation programme; and what spray density she expects will be used if commercial cultivation of GM maize goes ahead. [136609] Mr. Morley: The recommended individual and maximum permitted application rates of the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium used on GM maize in the farm- scale evaluations were defined by the conditions of the simulated product licence that formed part of the experimental pesticide approval. This specified a maximum permitted rate of eight litres per hectare and a recommended individual rate of four litres per hectare, depending on the weeds present and their growth stage. Application was permitted until the nine-leaf stage of maize. For further details, and for details of other non- herbicide sprays used, see Champion et al. 2003; "Crop Management and Agronomic Context of the Farm Scale Evaluations of Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerant Crops"; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (B). 358 (1439): 1801-18. A copy of this journal has been placed in the Library. Before glufosinate-ammonium could be used on a commercial scale on GM-maize, it would need full pesticide approval. In seeking approval, the necessary data package would have to be supplied by the applicant and be subjected to the considerations of human and environmental safety which have been established for all pesticide uses. Any approval given would specify recommended and maximum application rates in the same way as the experimental permit. These conditions would be determined by the Pesticide Safety Directorate taking due account of advice from their expert advisory committee the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

Date

5 November 2003

Reference

136609; 412 c631W;412 c637W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what published research she has assessed on the (a) persistence and (b) invasiveness of (i) GM herbicide tolerant and (ii) other crops in disturbed habitats where herbicides and fertilisers are used; and what research she has commissioned on...

Asked by

Joan Ruddock (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

30 October 2003

For answer on

4 November 2003

Answered on

4 November 2003

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what published research she has assessed on the (a) persistence and (b) invasiveness of (i) GM herbicide tolerant and (ii) other crops in disturbed habitats where herbicides and fertilisers are used; and what research she has commissioned on this subject. [136063] Mr. Morley: When assessing the potential impact of the release of a GM crop in England the Department is advised by an independent statutory expert body, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). In considering each case, ACRE will take account of all available relevant information on the implications of the proposed release. A large body of research has been published on the persistence and invasiveness of GM (and non-GM) crops and weeds in disturbed, improved and tilled land. This includes Government-commissioned work and work conducted independently of Government. The body of literature was recently reviewed by the GM Science Review Panel as part of the GM Dialogue, and their final report is available at www.gmsciencedebate.org.uk. Section 6.2 of that report specifically refers to the potential persistence and invasiveness of GM crops. This report has been made available to ACRE. Details of all Defra-commissioned GMO related research work are available on our website at www. defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research. This includes details of completed projects and links to download or order any published reports. Several of these include a consideration of persistence and invasiveness, including: `Environmental Risks of Herbicide-Tolerant Oilseed Rape' (March 1999); `Investigation of Feral Oilseed Rape Populations' (February 1999); `Monitoring largescale releases of genetically modified crops, incorporating report on project EPG 1/5/30: monitoring releases of genetically modified crop plants' (December 2002); `Consequences for agriculture of the introduction of GM crops' (October 2003). A further project investigating aspects of persistence of oilseed rape is currently underway entitled `Factors affecting cross- pollination in oilseed rape varieties, particularly of low male fertility, growing under typical UK conditions' and due to be completed in 2006.

Date

4 November 2003

Reference

136063; 412 c560-1W;412 c566-7W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the chemical weedkillers used in the farm-scale evaluation trials on the (a) GM and (b) non-GM part of the field; and what the extent of use of each herbicide was. - (Holding answer 14...

Asked by

Michael Meacher (Labour)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

20 October 2003

Reference

132154; 411 c397W;411 c401W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Culture Media and Sport;Royal Parks Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much peat the Royal Parks purchased in the last two years; and where it was used; how many animals and birds were culled in the Royal Parks, broken down by (a) species and (b) culling methods used in...

Asked by

Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

8 September 2003

For answer on

16 September 2003

Answered on

16 September 2003

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much peat the Royal Parks purchased in the last two years; and where it was used; [129239] (2) how many animals and birds were culled in the Royal Parks, broken down by (a) species and (b) culling methods used in the most recent year for which figures are available; [129263] (3) what (a) pesticides and (b) herbicides the Royal Parks purchased in the last two years, broken down by (i) type and (ii) quantity. [129264] Mr. Caborn: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its Chief Executive, William Weston, to reply. Letter from William Weston to Norman Baker, dated 16 September 2003: I have been asked by the Secretary of State to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the pesticides we purchase, the number of animals we cull and our use of peat, because these are operational matters which have been delegated to me. We do not use peat in our horticultural and grounds maintenance work, but most bedding plants we purchase are supplied to us in peat. We have been looking into alternatives to peat for bedding plants and will be running a trial next year in which all the plants purchased in one park will be grown in an alternative medium. We will assess the result in terms of quality and cost of the plants involved. The only cull we carried out last year was the annual deer cull, when 179 deer were shot. We do not purchase herbicides or pesticides. The horticultural and grounds maintenance functions in the parks are carried out by contractors. Park managers specify what tasks require doing and how they are to be done. Where pesticides and herbicides are required, park managers approve which ones should be used and the information is not, therefore, held centrally. We could only find out which types have been used by asking contractors to obtain the information from each job order they have had from park managers for the past two years. Even that would say what type had been approved but not what quantities had been used.

Date

16 September 2003

Reference

410 c649-51W;410 c649W; 129239;129263;129264

House

House of Commons

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Answering member

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