Debate GMs in Assembly, urges Welsh Tory
22 February 2000
Debate GMs in Assembly, urges Welsh Tory
WELSH Assembly members should debate the commercial release of genetically modified crops before any are entered into the National Seed List, claims a Tory assembly member.
Glyn Davies, Conservative AM for Mid and West Wales, is concerned the Assembly may be unable to prevent the release of GM crops in Wales.
The European Commission is considering an industry application to put three varieties of GM maize on the EUs Common Catalogue, a compilation of all EU member states National Seed Lists.
Mr Davies said: “We do not want genetically modified crops grown in Wales until we are absolutely certain there is no risk to the environment.
“We must not allow the financial ambitions of multinational companies to take risks with the future of our planet.”
The British government insists the inclusion of GM maize on an EU seed list will not mean GM crops are grown commercially in the UK until at least 2003, when farm-scale trials end.
It says a decision on the EU Common Catalogue is matter for the Commission and not the UK government.