BBC News' Jon Pienaar: "People quietly worried that GM crops may be harmful"

Last month there was controversy when former Home Office Minister Dr Jack Cunningham was reported to have called for the commercial planting of GM crops to start before farm-scale trials are completed in 2003.

But government sources have confirmed that the present ban which expires this month, is expected to be extended, and the buffer zone around GM sites will be increased.

Dr Cunningham was supporter of GM crops

The deal is designed to extend trials to discover whether GM crops pose any threat to the environment and will see a significant expansion in the number of farm-scale trials, but postpone commercial growing until well into the new millennium.

It move follows talks between government officials and the industry and an announcement is said to be likely within the next couple of weeks.

The New Cabinet Office Minister, Mo Mowlam, is said to have taken a softer stance on the issue than Dr Cunningham in the face of growing public concern.

The present agreement on the scale of tests ends at the end of October.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office's GM unit said: "We have been saying for some months that we are confident of extending the current agreement with the industry.

"Discussions are still going on and we will make an announcement shortly."

Policy U-turn

But Shadow Agriculture Minister Tim Yeo accused the Government of staging a "humiliating climbdown ... obviously designed to distract attention from the disastrous handling of the French sewage scandal."

Mr Yeo welcomed the extension of the trials period, but questioned the motivation for it.

He said "We do welcome this, something that we have been calling for since January. It's a step in the right direction, albeit one prompted by political expediency, rather than responsibility or principle."

Friends of the Earth called on the Government to impose a complete moratorium on GM crops.

Public outcry

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the Government was shocked at the ferocity of the public outcry over GM crops earlier this year.

Many major supermarkets and food manufacturers have now banned GM ingredients and one of the leading companies, Monsanto, is also facing pressure to pull out of GM food because of the public relations damage it is causing.

However, environmentalists are unlikely to be impressed by a three-year moratorium as they are pressing for a permanent ban on commercial growing and more restrictions on testing.

Patrick Holden, of the Soil Association, which has campaigned against GM trials, said the news "without doubt is a change of policy".

He said: "This is great news, obviously, and a great victory for public pressure."

But he said he still had concerns over the amount of GM produce imported into Britain.

He added: "It may still be that genetic pollution is still occurring, there is still a long way to go."

'More trials needed'

But the GM communications unit spokesman denied that the Government was preparing an about-turn on the issue.

"We have been saying all along that this is a four-year programme," he insisted.

Under the extended trials programme, there will be about 75 farm-scale trials, compared to the 10 trials involved in the first year.

Each will be around 25 acres in size. Planting is unlikely to start before next spring.

Environment Minister Michael Meacher is expected to make a formal announcement on the issue on Wednesday.

The spokesman said Mr Meacher had always maintained that commercial cultivation of GM crops would not be allowed until the Government was satisfied that there would be no unacceptable impact on the environment.