Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1000582,00.html

Public suspicion forces GM rethink

Ministers see political risks as outweighing any advantages

Paul Brown, environment Correspondent

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1000582,00.html

Friday July 18, 2003
The Guardian

The government is rethinking its plans to go full ahead with the introduction of genetically modified crops this autumn because of continued overwhelming public suspicion of the technology and ministers' motives for introducing it.

Cabinet ministers have decided that the political risks of introducing GM increasingly outweigh any advantages, the Guardian has been told. Confidence was badly shaken last week by the Cabinet Office strategy unit's forecast of civil unrest unless the strictest rules were enforced to prevent contamination of conventional and organic crops.

Tony Blair, who has been unswerving in his enthusiasm for GM technology, is said by government sources to have changed his mind about the early introduction of crops in the light of public hostility.

He remains concerned about the potential loss to the UK's scientific research and development base if the country turns against GM. But that is set against fears that the real impact of GM on a sceptical public would come in two years – just as he may be facing a general election.

Ministers' doubts have been fuelled by the results of a nationwide debate, GM Nation, which ends today. They show that despite huge efforts from the science lobby and the industry the public still believes that not enough is known about the risks to both health and the environment for the government to go ahead with the technology.

More than 450 public meetings have been held and up to 23,000 formal responses will have been submitted. Full analysis of the results will not be known until the autumn but the majority of meetings concluded that it is too soon to let the technology loose on the British countryside.

The fact that the US government has threatened a trade war if the EU blocks the import of GM foods has fuelled public opposition. The political risks of siding with the GM lobby against the British public have alarmed ministers.

On Monday, when the scientific report on the possible health effects of GM is published, it too will strike a more cautious note than expected. Some members of the committee have objected to what they perceive as the gung-ho advocacy of GM of the government's chief scientist, Professor Sir David King, Sir John Krebs, chairman of the food standards agency, and Professor Howard Dalton, the chief scientific adviser to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Instead of giving GM a complete endorsement the report will now say there are still gaps in knowledge and potential for nasty surprises.

Prof King had strongly influenced the prime minister to support the technology as being vital to feed the third world and to help maintain Britain's science base.

But in electoral terms Mr Blair faces stiff opposition from middle England. Among those demanding more time for public information are the Women's Institute and the Consumers' Association that have both called for a more extensive public debate.

A coalition including Action Aid, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children say that claims that GM are needed to feed the developing world are misleading and should not be used for its promotion.

Recent EU decisions on labelling of GM foods and the need to create rules for growing GM crops has raised further complications. The government has to decide how to segregate conventional groups and GM crops to safeguard against contamination. There is also the question a liability regime so that if contamination takes place the injured party can claim compensation.

However, the potential financial risks this regime might place on the farmer would make growing GM crops extremely unattractive.

Ministers' enthusiasm has been further eroded this week by the UK supermarkets, who told Margaret Beckett, the environment secretary, that they still had no intention of selling modified products. This would leave little home market for GM crops grown in the UK.

A further problem is that the result of trials on GM crops are due in September and are thought to be inconclusive, leaving the government with a another headache.

What next?

Today

Last day of GM Nation debate chaired by Professor Malcolm Grant, who declared himself encouraged by 450 public meetings and 23,000 individual forms returned by the end of last week

Monday

Review of GM to summarise the state of scientific knowledge, consensus and areas of uncertainty. Key issues are food and feed safety, gene flow, detection and environmental impact of GM

September

Summary of public debate and focus groups on whether and when GM should be introduced into the UK both for growing of crops and in food. It will include dicussion of possible safeguards.

Results of three years of scientific trials into the effect of GM crops on the UK environment will be published in a scientific journal.

Comments on the Cabinet Office strategy unit' s economic assessment of GM crops.

December

Government must decide whether to allow import and growing of GM crops in Britain