Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: GM.
GM
Asked for a reaction to a letter to the Prime Minister sent by 114 scientists who were upset at the way the Government had handled the GM crop trials, the PMOS said that we had underlined consistently the importance of allowing science to inform us and to make a judgement based on its findings. That was exactly what we were in the process of doing. We had said from the outset that we were neither pro nor anti GM crops, but that we would weigh up the evidence after allowing the expert committees to examine it before reaching a judgement. A counter argument to the views of the scientists was that this had been the biggest crop trial of its kind anywhere in the world. The Government had persisted with it, despite the activities of campaigners and some very vocal opposition. The trials had now concluded and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment was looking at the data, together with a large amount of other evidence. The Committee was due to report back to the Government in the New Year. As we had emphasised throughout, the biotechnology industry was a vital part of this country’s industry, and that remained as true today as it had been five years ago. Put to him that the scientists’ complaint was based on the fact that the Government had not done enough to ensure that the voice of the pro-GM campaigners were given as much publicity as the voice of the anti-GM campaigners, the PMOS said that the Government had no control over the way the media reported the debate. However, it did have responsibility to make judgements informed by science - and that was what we would do. We would not make decisions based on newspaper headlines or copy-tasting the press.
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