This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Executive approves three GM sites
14/03/2002
The Executive has today given its approval for the
release of a GM oilseed rape crop this spring in
three fields.
In answer to a Parliamentary Question from Iain Smith
MSP, Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
Ross Finnie said:
"I am able to announce today that the Executive has
approved the release of a GM oilseed rape crop at a further
three sites in Scotland this spring. Releases of this crop
have only been permitted because of the explicit advice of
our expert advisory bodies that the crop can be grown on
these sites in safety; both for the people living near the
trial sites and for the wider environment. If there was any
evidence to suggest that the crop posed a threat to human
health or the environment, I would not be prepared to
permit the releases on these sites.
"The three sites (two in Aberdeenshire and one in Fife)
will join 12 other Scottish sites which have grown GM
oilseed rape as part of the farm scale evaluation
programme, although the crop has been grown for research
purposes in the UK for a decade. This is the third and
final year of plantings under the evaluation programme,
after which the results will be evaluated and will help
inform decisions on whether these crops have a commercial
future in this country. The agreement which the Executive
has with the industry to permit these trials to take place
means that there will be no commercial growing of GM in
this country at least until the trials are completed."
The legislation under which applications for the release
of GM crops are considered requires that decisions are
taken on the basis of scientific criteria. The legislation
allows for objections to a particular application to carry
weight if those objections have a clearly established
scientific basis. While Ministers are alert to the concerns
voiced by those who believe that farm scale evaluations
present a threat to them or their environment, Ministers
act upon the advice of experts who, on the basis of their
professional knowledge, have advised that no such threat
exists. The Executive has endeavoured to ensure that
factual information is widely available in the vicinity of
proposed sites. Mr Finnie led a public information meeting
in North-east Fife on March 4 to answer questions raised by
people in the area of one of the proposed sites.
Although the statutory period during which Ministers can
withhold approval for an application to proceed is only 15
days, the Executive has insisted upon a lengthier period on
this occasion to allow information to be shared with local
interests. Ministers still have powers to call a halt to
the planting at any time if any evidence emerges to suggest
that these crops pose a safety threat. Ministers will have
no hesitation in using these powers if that evidence
exists.
The approved sites are at the following locations:
Grid Reference/Nearest Village
NJ746301 Daviot
NJ772280 Daviot
NO432250 Newport-on-Tay