GUILDFORD MP'S COMMITTEE ATTACKS GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF GM CROPS

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 8th Mar 2004

The findings of the Environmental Audit Committee published on the 5th March heavily criticize the Government's stance on GMs. The report recommends that new GM crop trials should take place before commercial planting is allowed and that the biotech industry should be liable for environmental damage caused by GMs.

Guildford MP Sue Doughty, a member of the committee that produces the report, said:

"The Government will have to realize that its policy on GM crops has finally been blown out of the water. They should not give the green light for commercial growing of GM crops following such strong criticism of the policy they are pursuing from myself and my colleague on the committee.

"The issue of liability must also be resolved and should rest solely on the GM industry, rather than farmers or the taxpayer. Evidence from North America shows that in the longer term, GM crops need more pesticides rather than less, so any new trials must be four years or more if they are to be taken seriously.

"In the past the Government has desperately sought to compile evidence to back up its case but the facts remain the same. Growing GM crops in Britain won't help the developing world and we could leave future generations with an unwelcome legacy. But above all people simply don't want the stuff."

Sue Doughty has given her backing to a House of Commons motion supporting the Genetically Modified Organisms Bill sponsored by a backbench MOP. The Bill support the rights of shoppers to choose GM free food and ensures that biotech companies have full liability for contamination of other farmers' crops of adverse effects of their GM products on human health or the environment.

"I am delighted to add my support to this important Bill to protect people's choice on GM food. If we don't stop crops being contaminated in the fields, then we lose any choice to avoid GM food. It is no good the Government claiming to be supporting choice, but not introducing the necessary laws prevent our foods being contaminated.

"Along with many scientists and the vast majority of the public, I am still not convinced that we should allow commercial plating of GM crops. But it is still essential we have these rules in place to govern future crop trials -frankly it is a disgrace that the Government has allowed 400 fields to be planted with GM crops without ever passing laws to prevent contamination or allow farmers to claim for any harm they suffer as a result of GM crops."