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Genetically Modified Maize
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the appropriate advisory committees have seen the recent Chardon LL cattle feeding studies conducted for Bayer CropScience; and whether these studies confirm that Chardon LL maize silage is safe for cattle to eat.[HL2117]
Lord Whitty: I understand that Bayer CropScience commissioned Reading University to undertake this cattle feeding study involving their GM maize T25 (Chardon LL) and that the researchers intend to submit the results of their study to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. The data will be assessed once the peer review process is complete and the appropriate advisory committees consulted as necessary.
Under the terms of Directive 2001/18, Bayer would have been required to notify the French competent authority, which issued the relevant consent on behalf of all EU member states, if this study had revealed any adverse effects on the cattle fed T25 forage. Both the researchers at Reading University and Bayer have confirmed that the study did not reveal any such adverse effects.
The Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs (ACAF) has advised, on the basis of the data already submitted, that it is content that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties. At present Bayer GM maize T25 cannot be grown in the UK for use as feed for livestock because it does not have all the necessary approvals for cultivation.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will commission a repeat of the 1998–99 seed list trials for Chardon LL maize in view of the fact that the herbicide used in the trials is shortly to be withdrawn.[HL2119]
Lord Whitty: The herbicides used in trials to assess value for cultivation and use (VCU) follow best local practice at the time. All candidate and control varieties are treated in the same way in each trial, so that valid comparisons of variety performance can be made. It is therefore not necessary to repeat the trials when best local practice changes.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether VCU Herbage Group asked that the specific GM characteristics of Chardon LL maize be assessed prior to the commencement of the national list trials; if so, why this request was refused; and by whom.[HL2120]
Lord Whitty: The remit of the Herbage VCU Group includes making recommendations on the assessment of any special characteristics claimed by national list applicants in respect of a variety's value for cultivation and use (VCU). In the case of Chardon LL the variety's resistance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium was not claimed by the applicant to be a special characteristic for the purpose of the VCU trials and therefore did not need to be assessed.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will give an assurance that no steps will be taken to facilitate the commercialisation of Chardon LL maize in the United Kingdom until a review of all of the studies available on the physiological impacts of feeding genetically modified materials to ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, has been conducted and published.[HL2153]
Lord Whitty: Chardon LL maize already has a Part C marketing consent for use as any other maize (this includes use as animal feed). This consent was issued in 1998 under Directive 90/220/EC following collective assessment by all EU member states.
The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs (ACAF) carried out a comprehensive review of the risks posed by the marketing and use of Bayer GM maize T25 (Chardon LL) in response to concerns raised in the Chardon LL public hearing on seed listing in December 2002. ACAF advised, on the basis of the data already submitted, that it is content that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties.
If new information becomes available, either from animal feeding studies or from any other source, which changes the assessment of the risks to human health or the environment then action can be taken under Directive 2001/18 (which replaced Directive 90/220) to restrict or suspend the release.
Livestock Farmers: Severely Disadvantaged Areas
Lord Carter asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they have to deal with any problems of livestock farmers in the severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs) resulting from the decision to divide England into two regions (SDA and non-SDA) for the purposes of implementing common agricultural policy reform.[HL2171]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has expressed her willingness to consider a small modification to the scheme to create a further region of moorland within the SDA if a case can be made that commands a broad consensus. As a consequence she is now considering such a request put to her jointly by a number of representative organisations.
Lord Carter asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have considered the effect on livestock farmers in severely disadvantaged areas (SDAs) if England were divided into three regions (Moorland, SDA excluding Moorland and non-SDA) for the purposes of implementing common agricultural policy reform.[HL2172]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has expressed her willingness to consider a small modification to the scheme to create a further region of moorland within the SDA if a case can be made that commands a broad consensus. As a consequence she is now considering such a request put to her jointly by a number of representative organisations.
"Terra Marique"
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the environmental benefit that supports the award of £8.5 million freight facility grant for the construction of the ship, the "Terra Marique".[HL2160]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The grant was not justified on the basis of environmental benefits alone. The department took the view that by taking the largest and most disruptive loads off busy roads, the investment would over the next 20 years reduce congestion and corresponding costs to society.
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much private sector capital was levered in by the award of £8.5 million freight facility grant for the construction of the "Terra Marique"; who is the owner of this ship; and what assurances have been given as to the availability of commercial contracts for the ship in the United Kingdom.[HL2161]clean
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have met all the design and construction costs. Robert Wynn and Sons Ltd owns the vessel and carries the commercial risks of operating it. No assurances have been given about the availability of commercial contracts for the ship in the UK.
Traffic Management Bill
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations they have had from the chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority in regard to the Traffic Management Bill; what reply they have sent; and what action they are taking.[HL2243]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority wrote to ministerial colleagues earlier this month seeking amendments to the Traffic Management Bill. This would place a requirement on the face of the Bill for passenger transport executivies to be notified when utility street works are carried out in their area. I understand that colleagues will be replying shortly, setting out their views on whether primary legislation is needed to achieve this goal, or whether it is more appropriate for secondary legislation and statutory guidance. Officials in the Department for Transport met with representatives of the passenger transport executives, including those from Manchester, earlier this week to discuss the Bill.
Over the coming months we will be looking at the notification of all works in the highway as part of drawing up the secondary legislation and guidance underpinning the Bill. We will be consulting the passenger transport authorities, and other relevant bodies, as part of this exercise before deciding exactly what changes should be made to the existing arrangements.
Water Freight Grants
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What grants have been made in England and Wales in the past five years for coastal or European shipping and inland waterway traffic, together with the amount of private sector funding levered in.[HL2225]John B
Lord Davies of Oldham: We have awarded 41 water freight grants since 1999 amounting to a total of £43.9 million that have attracted private contributions of £10.7 million towards eligible capital expenditure.
These figures relate to eligible expenditure only, i.e. investments directly connected with transferring traffic from road to water. Companies may make further investments, e.g. in processing plants, that are connected with the grant. The department does not have data for these investments as there is no requirement for applicants to provide figures for non-eligible costs.
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