18.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about Government health studies into genetically modified foods. [80361]
All genetically modified (GM) foods are subject to a full and rigorous safety assessment before they are approved for sale. To underpin this process, the Department has a research programme with a current budget of £1 million per annum.
21.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the environmental implications of genetically modified food. [80364]
The environmental implications of genetically modified foods are considered in accordance with the provisions of the EC Directive for the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms (90/220/EEC).
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what safeguards are in place to ensure that consumers have adequate information on genetically modified foods. [80350]
EC Regulation 1139/98, which came into force on 1 September 1998, requires all foods containing genetically modified (GM) ingredients produced from GM soya and maize to be labelled. This sets a precedent for the labelling of all future GM novel foods.