LOCAL MP SUPPORTS NEW GM LAW

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 5th May 2004

Friends of the Earth today congratulated Sue Doughty MP for her continued support of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Bill. Sue Doughty MP today wrote to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs asking her to ensure that the Government does not block the Bill when it returns to Parliament on 14th May 2004.

The GMO Bill requires contamination and liability rules to be in place before further planting of GM crops, and requires these rules to be voted on by the House of Commons and devolved assemblies. Without such rules, non-GM and organic farms could be contaminated by GM crops, and farmers who found their crops were contaminated by GM traits would stand little chance of winning compensation from the GM industry who caused the pollution.

The Bill returns to the House of Commons on 14th May 2004. Although there is likely to be little time for a debate, The House of Commons can still support the Bill in principle as long as no MP shouts "object" when the Bill is raised.

Sue Doughty MP said "Too often legislation fails not because of the rights or wrongs of the proposal but because of arcane procedures in the House of Commons which can be invoked by members. When a Bill has Government support it has a much better chance of becoming law. Whatever one's views about GM it is essential that there are clear guide lines to deal with liability when non GM crops become contaminated by GM."

Martyn Williams, Senior Parliamentary Campaigner said. "We are grateful for Sue Doughty's continued support for new laws to control GM crops in the UK. The GMO Bill is a common sense approach to a new technology which carries very real risks, and should be governed by rules that are carefully scrutinised and studied by MPs. The Government must back the Bill when it next comes before Parliament".