Greens seek GM crop ban

The results of the farm-scale trials were released this month

The Scottish Executive is being urged to stop "sitting on the fence" over GM crops by the Scottish Greens.

The party passed an emergency motion at its annual conference calling on ministers to ban the commercial growing of genetically modified crops north of the border.

The resolution called on the executive to refuse the commercial cultivation of GM crops on environmental and scientific grounds.

The findings from field-scale trials in Scotland and England were published earlier this month.

Scientists said growing herbicide-tolerant GM beet and spring rape was worse for the environment than conventional varieties of those crops.

Take a stance

However, they said herbicide-tolerant GM maize was better than conventional maize for many types of wildlife.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell accused Scottish ministers of failing to take a stance on the issue of GM crops.

"We have a Welsh assembly prepared to take a strong line and a Scottish Executive that is sitting on the fence," he told delegates in Edinburgh.

"We think it's time for the executive to take a strong line and build on the case to make Scotland GM-free."