1.Public suspicion forces GM rethink 2.GM PUBLIC DEBATE ENDS - now Government must act on the results --- Public suspicion forces GM rethink Ministers see political risks as outweighing any advantages Paul Brown, environment Correspondent, Friday July 18, 2003 The Guardian http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,9061,1000583,00.html
The government is rethinking its plans to go full ahead with the introduction of genetically modified crops this autumn because of continued overwhelming public suspicion of the technology and ministers' motives for introducing it.
Cabinet ministers have decided that the political risks of introducing GM increasingly outweigh any advantages, the Guardian has been told. Confidence was badly shaken last week by the Cabinet Office strategy unit's forecast of civil unrest unless the strictest rules were enforced to prevent contamination of conventional and organic crops.
Tony Blair, who has been unswerving in his enthusiasm for GM technology, is said by government sources to have changed his mind about the early introduction of crops in the light of public hostility.
He remains concerned about the potential loss to the UK's scientific research and development base if the country turns against GM. But that is set against fears that the real impact of GM on a sceptical public would come in two years - just as he may be facing a general election.
Ministers' doubts have been fuelled by the results of a nationwide debate, GM Nation, which ends today. They show that despite huge efforts from the science lobby and the industry the public still believes that not enough is known about the risks to both health and the environment for the government to go ahead with the technology.
More than 450 public meetings have been held and up to 23,000 formal responses will have been submitted. Full analysis of the results will not be known until the autumn but the majority of meetings concluded that it is too soon to let the technology loose on the British countryside.
The fact that the US government has threatened a trade war if the EU blocks the import of GM foods has fuelled public opposition. The political risks of siding with the GM lobby against the British public have alarmed ministers.
On Monday, when the scientific report on the possible health effects of GM is published, it too will strike a more cautious note than expected. Some members of the committee have objected to what they perceive as the gung-ho advocacy of GM of the government's chief scientist, Professor Sir David King, Sir John Krebs, chairman of the food standards agency, and Professor Howard Dalton, the chief scientific adviser to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Instead of giving GM a complete endorsement the report will now say there are still gaps in knowledge and potential for nasty surprises.
Prof King had strongly influenced the prime minister to support the technology as being vital to feed the third world and to help maintain Britain's science base.
But in electoral terms Mr Blair faces stiff opposition from middle England. Among those demanding more time for public information are the Women's Institute and the Consumers' Association that have both called for a more extensive public debate.
A coalition including Action Aid, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children say that claims that GM are needed to feed the developing world are misleading and should not be used for its promotion.
Recent EU decisions on labelling of GM foods and the need to create rules for growing GM crops has raised further complications. The government has to decide how to segregate conventional groups and GM crops to safeguard against contamination. There is also the question a liability regime so that if contamination takes place the injured party can claim compensation.
However, the potential financial risks this regime might place on the farmer would make growing GM crops extremely unattractive.
Ministers' enthusiasm has been further eroded this week by the UK supermarkets, who told Margaret Beckett, the environment secretary, that they still had no intention of selling modified products. This would leave little home market for GM crops grown in the UK.
A further problem is that the result of trials on GM crops are due in September and are thought to be inconclusive, leaving the government with a another headache.
What next?
Today Last day of GM Nation debate chaired by Professor Malcolm Grant, who declared himself encouraged by 450 public meetings and 23,000 individual forms returned by the end of last week
Monday Review of GM to summarise the state of scientific knowledge, consensus and areas of uncertainty. Key issues are food and feed safety, gene flow, detection and environmental impact of GM
September Summary of public debate and focus groups on whether and when GM should be introduced into the UK both for growing of crops and in food. It will include dicussion of possible safeguards.
Results of three years of scientific trials into the effect of GM crops on the UK environment will be published in a scientific journal.
Comments on the Cabinet Office strategy unit' s economic assessment of GM crops.
December Government must decide whether to allow import and growing of GM crops in Britain --- 2. GM PUBLIC DEBATE ENDS - now Government must act on the results PRESS RELEASE, 17th July 2003
GM Nation? The Public Debate closes this Friday 18th July, after running for only six weeks. In spite of the lack of time and the poor publicity, some 400 - 500 debates have taken place across the country and over 20,000 people have responded, in a public consultation exercise far larger than anything previously carried out by Government. Because of the short time scale many people are only just finding out about the debate as it closes, and will miss their opportunity to participate. It also ends before the appearance of the Government's review of the science of GM crops and the results of the farm scale evaluations.
Clare Devereux, Director of the Five Year Freeze and a member of the Public Debate Steering Board, said:
'Response has been excellent, showing how important this issue is to people all over the country. We now urge Margaret Beckett to commit to incorporating the results of this massive public response into Government decision-making, something she has so far failed to do.
The public has been debating GM crops for five years now and we urge people to continue to do so - even if the 'official' debate organised by the Government is ending. This is after all the 'public's debate' and the public should carry it on as long as necessary'.
END
[1] List of Five Year Freeze members attached [2] For more information contact Clare Devereux, 020 7837 0642 (office), 07803 002825 (mobile)
[1] Supporters of the Five Year Freeze (founders in bold) are:
Action Aid Action Against Allergy Additives Survivors' Network Agricultural Christian Fellowship Baby Milk Action Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union Biodynamic Agricultural Association Black Environmental Network Body Shop International PLC British Allergy Foundation British Association of Fair Trade Shops British Association of Nature Conservation British Naturopathic Association Caduceus Catholic Institute International Relations Centre for Alternative Technology Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Christian Aid Christian Ecology Link Communities Against Toxics Compassion In World Farming Corporate Watch Council for the Protection of Rural England Culpepers Ecologist Ecology Building Society Econexus Elm Farm Research Centre Ethical Consumer Farm-A-Round Ltd Farming and Livestock Concern Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens Find Your Feet Food Commission Food for Health Network Food Poverty Network Forum for the Future Fresh Food Company Freshlands UK Friends of the Earth Friends of the Earth Scotland Gaia Foundation Gardeners GMO Group GE Free Forests Genetics Food Alert Genetics Forum GeneWatch UK GM-Free Cymru GMO Campaign Good Gardeners Association Green & Blacks Green Books Green Network Green Party Greenpeace Guild of Fine Food Retailers Guild of Food Writers Harvest Help HDRA Health Food Manufacturer's Association Help International Plant Protein Organisation (HIPPO) Hyperactive Children's Support Group Iceland Foods Institute for Science in Society Intermediate Technology Development Group International Society for Ecology and Culture Islamic Concern Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environment Sciences Living Lightly Local Government Association Longhouse Food Consultancy Maternity Alliance Medact National Association of Health Stores National Federation of Women's Institutes National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd Natural Law Party Natures Store Ltd. Neal's Yard Bakery Neal's Yard Remedies New Economics Foundation New Internationalist Noah Project Organic Farm Foods Wales Organic Gardening Organic Shop Organics Direct Oxfam People & Planet Permaculture Association UK Permaculture Magazine Permanent Publications Pesticides Action Network UK Plamil Food Planet Organic Positive News Pret A Manger Pro-natural Food Scotland Resurgence Scientists for Global Responsibility Scottish Beekeepers Association Small Farms Association Soil Association Student Environment Network TGWU The Harbour Townswomen's Guilds Traidcraft Plc Triodos Bank UNISON Vegan Society Vegetarian Society Vetwork UK Vinceremos Wines & Spirits Ltd Welsh Beekeepers Association Whole Earth Foods Ltd Wholesome Food Association Wildlife Trusts Womankind Worldwide Women's Environmental Network Woodland Trust World Development Movement World Wide Fund for Nature
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