GM INSPECTION REGIME A "MOCKERY"

Immediate Release
Thursday, 18 February 1999
Ref: 19990218165010
Yeo, Tim

Reacting to reports that there is only one inspector for trial sites
of genetically modified (GM) crops, Tim Yeo MP, Shadow Minister of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, said "This would appear to be a
serious management failure by you and your department". In a letter
to the Minister for the Environment, Mr Yeo criticised Mr Meacher for
his lax attitude and asked what action he proposed to take to
strengthen the inspection regime. Mr Yeo wrote: 

"If true, the fact that you have only one inspector carrying out this
vital work makes a mockery of your claim that you are monitoring
trials closely. 

"Reports that only 50 of the 340 sites across the country can be
visited this year surely mean there is no guarantee that any safety
violations can be discovered. 

"The introduction of full scale field testing sites this year will
only exacerbate the inspection problem." 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 

The full text of the letter follows. 

Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP 
Minister for the Environment 
Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions 
Eland House 
Bressenden Place 
London SW1E 5DU 

Dear Mr Meacher 

In the light of Monsantos failure to meet strict conditions at a
testing station for genetically modified (GM) crops, the reports in
todays press about the current inspection regime are worrying. If
true, the fact that you have only one inspector carrying out this
vital work makes a mockery of your claim that you are monitoring the
trials closely. 

Reports that only 50 of the 340 sites across the country can be
visited this year surely mean there is no guarantee that any safety
violations can be discovered. Given the serious concerns of your own
advisors about the environmental impact of GM crops this would appear
to be a serious management failure by you and your department. What
measures do you intend to take to strengthen the inspection regime? 

The introduction of full-scale field testing this year will only
exacerbate the inspection problem. What plans have you already got in
place to improve the inspection regime to monitor these much larger
sites? If you have not put any plans in place already, I would urge
you to do so immediately. More testing needs more inspection. 

This lax attitude to the environmental impact on our crops must not
continue 

Yours sincerely 

Tim Yeo