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