Herbicides

19 October 2005

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on (a) farmers and (b) the environment of herbicide resistance in wild plants; and if she will make a statement. [17141]

Mr. Morley: Herbicide resistance in weeds and other wild plants can occur naturally over time as a response to exposure to certain herbicides. It is an agronomic problem well known to farmers, agronomists and the crop protection industry all over the world. Responsible use of herbicides can mitigate the problem.

In the wider environment beyond the cropped areas of farms, herbicide tolerant weeds are not normally an issue as herbicides are not routinely used in such areas.

The approval and use of herbicides is closely regulated to ensure protection of the environment.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to prevent the spread of the herbicide tolerant gene found in charlock in the Government's farm-scale evaluation; and if she will make a statement. [17142]

Mr. Morley: Researchers from the Centre for Hydrology and Ecology were commissioned by Defra to monitor for gene flow between the GM crops grown in the farm-scale evaluations and wild plants. Over 60,000 charlock seeds and 700 charlock plants were checked. The researchers reported the possible finding of a single hybrid between oilseed rape and the wild plant charlock (the scientists were unable to confirm that it was in fact a hybrid). The researchers returned to the site the following year and found no trace of any charlock plants carrying the herbicide tolerant gene. This was to be expected as I am advised that even if a hybrid charlock plant existed it would be unlikely to produce fertile seed and would not persist.

There are therefore no immediate implications of this research. The results of this study have been passed to the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and will be used along with other information in assessment of any future proposals to grow GM oilseed rape. We have also commissioned a review of the risks associated with the cultivation of herbicide tolerant oilseed rape, with emphasis on hybridization with wild relatives which is due for completion at the end of the year.

GM-free Zones

25 October 2005

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the powers of the EU Commission to overrule the wish of member states to declare GM-free zones or regions following the recent European Court decision. [20770]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 October 2005]: Under existing EU law, in order to declare a GM-free zone, that is a region where GM crops cannot be cultivated, a member state has to prove that there are special reasons

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to introduce national measures. Austria applied for a derogation from Directive 2001/18/EC to declare the region of Upper Austria a GM-free zone. However, the European Court of Justice ruled against this measure, as the Austrian Government failed to prove that the region of' Upper Austria had a unique ecosystem which might justify a specific local risk assessment.

EU law, as agreed by EU member states, sets out procedures which allow an individual GM crop to be approved for cultivation throughout the whole of the EU only if a detailed assessment confirms that it does not pose an unacceptable risk to health or the environment. Under current EU law, as agreed by EU member states, the only legitimate grounds for narrowing the geographical scope of an approval to prevent cultivation in a defined zone are the production of clear evidence that the GM crop involved poses a particular risk to the specific area in question. In the Austrian case, the European Court of Justice found that Austria had not demonstrated the existence of any such risks to the region of Upper Austria.

Sources:

1. United Kingdom Parliament: Written Answers to Questions [19 Oct 2005]. Herbicides (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051019/text/51019w04.htm - 51019w04.html_sbhd6)

2. United Kingdom Parliament: Written Answers to Questions [25 Oct 2005]. GM-free Zones (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051025/text/51025w02.htm - 51025w02.html_sbhd2)

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