The DEFRA note admits that “any proposals to remove GM safety issues from the scope of National List representations and hearings will be criticised because it will seem that we are trying to silence GM objectors. However, we believe that an effective presentation strategy can be prepared in advance … A fully fledged presentation strategy will be prepared in consultation with the Communications Directorate, for clearance with Ministers.”
DEFRA has decided to:
o “Take administrative action to exclude from the hearings any consideration which are the responsibility of other bodies and subject to other legislative controls (e.g. Gm safety – ACRE, Novel foods – ACNFP)
o Give statutory effect to the above by amending the regulations so that any ‘person affected’ may make representations and be heard, but only on matters relevant to the criteria for National Listing.”
Friends of the Earth GM campaigner Adrian Bebb said:“Yet another yowling GM cat has been let out of the bag. The Government pretends to be neutral in this debate. But once more we find that it is secretly planning to skew the system in favour of the biotech industry, and to take away the public’s right to raise objections to and concerns about the commercial development of GM crops.
"This shameful memo shows once again that only two things motivate the (U.K.) Government on the GM issue, to deliver what their friends in the biotech business want, and to spin, spin and spin again in the forlorn hope that the public won’t notice what is going on.”
Friends of the Earth, U.K. http://www.foe.co.uk
To read the “Draft Submission on Representation and Hearings” and for additional information, please visit: http://www.foe.co.uk
DEFRA has decided to:
o “Take administrative action to exclude from the hearings any consideration which are the responsibility of other bodies and subject to other legislative controls (e.g. Gm safety – ACRE, Novel foods – ACNFP)
o Give statutory effect to the above by amending the regulations so that any ‘person affected’ may make representations and be heard, but only on matters relevant to the criteria for National Listing.”
Friends of the Earth GM campaigner Adrian Bebb said:“Yet another yowling GM cat has been let out of the bag. The Government pretends to be neutral in this debate. But once more we find that it is secretly planning to skew the system in favour of the biotech industry, and to take away the public’s right to raise objections to and concerns about the commercial development of GM crops.
"This shameful memo shows once again that only two things motivate the (U.K.) Government on the GM issue, to deliver what their friends in the biotech business want, and to spin, spin and spin again in the forlorn hope that the public won’t notice what is going on.”
Friends of the Earth, U.K. http://www.foe.co.uk
To read the “Draft Submission on Representation and Hearings” and for additional information, please visit: http://www.foe.co.uk