Minister denies pressure on GM

The assembly's approval is needed for the crop to be grown in the UK

Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones has denied coming under pressure from the UK Government to approve the sale of a genetically modified maize seed in Wales.

In a statement on Tuesday, he reiterated the Welsh Assembly Government's policy to take "the most restrictive position possible on GM".

Last week, leaked cabinet committee papers suggested that the UK Government was preparing to give the go-ahead to the commercial cultivation of Chardon LL, a patented strain of maize which came out well in three-year scientific trials.

But Mr Jones said the approval of the Welsh Assembly Government would be needed if the seed was to be put on a list which allowed it to be sold to farmers across the UK.

It needs to be emphasised that we in Wales have to agree to the listing of Chardon LL Carwyn Jones

He said he was discussing whether it was possible to insist on separation distances between a GM crop grown near conventional and organic crops.

He told BBC Radio Wales he was not under pressure from his UK colleague Margaret Beckett and the rural affairs ministry, Defra.

He told Good Evening Wales: "There is no question here of any pressure from Defra.

"There is no question of Margaret Beckett having phoned me at all, and Defra would not seek to put pressure on us, they know full well that would be counter-productive.

A GM crop trial in Flintshire was invaded by protesters

'Risking contamination'

"It needs to be emphasised that we in Wales have to agree to the listing of Chardon LL.

"There are number of questions that still need to be asked before listing takes place.

"We are looking to see whether it's possible to put in place co-existence measures between GM crops and conventional and organic crops.

"For example, we need to look at the possibility of co-existence and we need to look to see what our powers are under the law and we're taking legal advice on that."

Mick Bates, the Welsh Liberal Democrat countryside spokesman, accused Mr Jones of risking contamination of Welsh farms by GM crops.

Mick Bates said: "Even if we avoid growing GM crops in Wales, we still face cross-border contamination if they are grown in England.

"The co-existence of GM and conventional crops is not a safe option for Wales."

Julian Rosser, of the environmental campaign group, Friends of the Earth Cymru said: "If the assembly says no, the seeds cannot go on the list.

"If Wales holds out and says no, then it simply will not be sold to farmers and will not be grown commercially in the UK. "