To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many inspections of genetically modified organism (GMO) test sites have been carried out by the GM Inspectorate relating to Part B consents in respect of experimental releases of GMOs under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992 and the GMO (Deliberate Release) (England) Regulations 2002 in England since January 2000; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each inspection report. (241623)

In total 718 inspections of GM release sites have taken place since January 2000.

The Central Science Laboratory’s GM inspectorate has made 341 growing season inspections since it assumed its responsibilities in June 2000. Each part B trial site is inspected at least once when the crop is in the ground, but additional inspections may be undertaken at sowing or at harvest, or where an incident has occurred at the release site. The reports can be found on the internet at:

http://www.gm-inspectorate.gov.uk/deliberateRelease/exptreleases.cfm

In addition the GM inspectorate has made 337 inspection visits following completion of trials. I have arranged for copies of the reports from these visits to be placed in the Library .

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was responsible for all inspections prior to 1 June 2000 and since then has retained responsibility for inspections of GM clinical trial applications. I have also arranged for copies of HSE’s 40 inspection reports to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites growing genetically modified organisms grant Part C authorisation for commercial cultivation under Directive 90/220 or 2001/18 have been sown since January 2000; and how many of these sites have been vandalised. (241625)

There has been no commercial cultivation of GM crops in England, but maize variety T25, which has a Part C consent, was one of the crops grown in the farm-scale evaluation (FSE) research trials. There were 68 plantings of T25 as part of the FSEs after January 2000, of which 23 were vandalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many post-release monitoring reports of Part B consents in respect of the experimental releases of genetically modified organisms authorised under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992 and the GMO (Deliberate Release) (England) Regulations 2002 his Department has received since January 2000; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each report received. (241762)

My Department has received 205 post-release monitoring reports from consent holders since January 2000. These are available for inspection on the GMO public register held in DEFRA’s library. I have arranged for copies of them to be placed in the Library of the House.