Ministers accused of sneaking in GM crops

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The Government came under fire for supporting the growth of two types of GM maize in Britain and the Continent.

The support was backed by a Labour-dominated committee in the Commons yesterday but was being pushed through the main business today
without a debate.

However environment campaigners warned that allowing the two GM crops to be legally grown in the UK was a "major step" being taken in the face of widespread public opposition.

"This is bringing in GM crops by the back door," said Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, chairman of the all-party environment group.

"The public will be very concerned by this sleight of hand. It shows the cavalier way that the Government treats the environment."

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted that under "current climatic conditions" it was "highly unlikely" that any farmer in Britain would seek to grow either of the two GM crops.

They are resistant to the corn borer which is a severe problem in maize-growing areas in southern Europe and the USA but not in the UK.

However environmentalists stressed that with global warming, pests will migrate northwards, so farmers could in future want to use GM crops here.

"The Government has been quite sneaky," said Clare Oxborrow, senior food campaigner for Friends of the Earth, who said there were concerns about toxins in the crops.

"The public is not generally aware that it is making these decisions at EU level which could in the future have large ramifications for GM-free food and farming in the UK," she said.

"If a farmer wanted to he would be legally allowed to grow these two crops once they are approved at European level."

Defra emphasised that all actions were guided by scientific evidence, and that the health and safety of people and the environment was "paramount".

Environment minister Dan Norris said: "All GM products are properly assessed for their impact on human health and the environment, and strict labelling rules for GM products in food are in place to allow consumers to make an informed choice."