To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the proposed site for BASF’s GM potatoes in Hedon, East Yorkshire; (133985)

The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment has considered relevant information on the proposed site and is satisfied that the trials will not have any adverse effect on human health or the environment. In the light of this we have granted a statutory consent to BASF, valid until 2011. BASF will not use the East Yorkshire site for trials this year, but may do so in future years.