To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the qualitative difference in terms of impact on the environment between the growing of genetically modified crops (a) in farm-scale field trials and (b) on a commercial basis. [81268]

There should be no difference apart from one of scale. The genetically modified crops in the farm-scale evaluations will be grown under normal commercial conditions following the suppliers' recommendations and requirements for the use of seed and herbicide.