Brown wants relaxation GM feed rule
Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants relaxation of the EU rules on importing genetically modified animal feed into the UK. According to Brown, these GM feed crops are needed to control the price increase of food.
His proposal comes the day after The Independent revealed that the
Environment minister, Phil Woolas, has held private talks with the biotechnology
industry about relaxing Britain’s policy on the use of GM crops.
Brown
also signalled that he is happy to see a public debate over whether GM crops
should be grown commercially in Britain to reduce global prices by boosting
production. His spokesman said last night: “His view is that we must be guided
by the scientific evidence.”
Ministers who support GM crops believe there
are no convincing arguments against them. They want to turn the tables on
environmental groups who campaigned successfully against widespread GM
production in Britain during the last government review in 2004. Although there
is no ban, the ministers want the rules changed in light of the food crisis, as
no GM crops are currently being grown commercially in this country.
