GM TRIALS FLAWED FROM OUTSET SAYS GUILDFORD MP

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 30th Oct 2003

Sue Doughty MP yesterday heard former Environment Secretary, Michael Meacher, reveal to the Environmental Audit Select Committee that the farm scale trials of GM crops were flawed from the outset, as the organisation conducting the trials knew that the herbicide used - Atrazine - was to be banned.

Commenting on this evidence, Sue Doughty MP, said:

"We were assured that these trials would be conducted scientifically, but they were anything but scientific. The committee developing the tests, SCIMAC, was set up by the GM industry itself. It was allowed to set the terms of reference, to act as referee and to pull the wool over the Government's eyes.

"Mr Meacher's evidence revealed that those designing the tests on the maize crop did so even though they were aware that the herbicide Atrazine was to be withdrawn from Europe.

"The Government's decision to give the suppliers free rein was totally irresponsible. If Ministers had been aware of the status of the herbicide, they would have seen that there was no point in going ahead with the tests.

"It is essential that we now conduct scientifically valid tests on the crops themselves. Farmers and consumers in the Guildford area need to know what the full impact would be on our local environmental and our health before using a technology which could be building up problems for the future."