Executive Ploughs Ahead with GM Crop Trials Despite Msp's Appeal
Thu., March 14, 2002. 00:00.
The Executive have given the go-ahead for new GM crop trials in Scotland. The news came as Green MSP Robin Harper made a last minute appeal in Parliament on behalf of local communities in Fife and Munlochy.
During an exchange in Parliament with Environment Minister Ross Finnie [1] Mr Harper challenged the Executive to act on the First Minister's recent speech about environmental justice [2]. The Green MSP called for a hold on the GM trials until concerns of local people could be properly heard.
The Executive have given the go-ahead for new GM crop trials in Scotland. The news came as Green MSP Robin Harper made a last minute appeal in Parliament on behalf of local communities in Fife and Munlochy.
During an exchange in Parliament with Environment Minister Ross Finnie [1] Mr Harper challenged the Executive to act on the First Minister's recent speech about environmental justice [2]. The Green MSP called for a hold on the GM trials until concerns of local people could be properly heard.
In his reponse Environment Minister Ross Finnie did not reveal to Parliament that permission for the trials had actually just been announced [3] but said that the procedure for consultations might be changed in future. Robin Harper MSP said:
[blockquote] 'The Scottish Green Party certainly welcomes the First Minister's recent speech on environmental justice but I will be watching very closely to see if any of his warm words are actually put into practice by his Executive.
'How can the first Minister make a speech about the importance of environmental justice one week and then continue to impose these trials on the communities of Newport-on-Tay and Munlochy. The local people in Fife and in Munlochy were not consulted properly about the siting of GM trials near their communities. They have real worries about these trials but the Executive instead of listening are forcing these trials through despite significant local disquiet.
'There is certainly enough of a case for the Executive to have these trials suspended. There's now scientific evidence of GM superweeds arising from GM oil seed rape plantings in Canada, there's the possibility of harm to organic farmers' economic interests, and as health officials have pointed out, there's not been any consideration of the health impacts of these trials on the local population.'
[/blockquote]
[h3]NOTES TO EDITORS
[/h3]
- Oral Parliamentary Question S1O-4850, 14 March; Robin Harper: To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to promote the aim of environmental justice.
- First Minister's speech on Environmental Justice Monday 18 February, see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/02/SE5353.aspx
- Scottish Executive news release 14.46hrs, 14 March 2002; 'Latest Scottish GM sites meet safety requirements and join trial programme'
- Anti-GM petition from the GM vigil at Munlochy on the Black Isle, with over 4,000 signatures, was submitted to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 12th March. Public Petitions committee referred the matter to the (Transport & ) Environment committee as a matter of urgency.
- Local people concerned at the lack of consultation over designating Newport-on-Tay in Fife as a trial site for GM crops held a pubic meeting last Friday (8 March) in Newport. Scottish Green MSP Robin Harper MSP spoke and took part in discussions at the meeting. See http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/news/2002/mar/020308gmfife.htm
CONTACT
Robin Harper MSP 0131 348 5927 or 07957 337 176 Steve Burgess 0131 348 5955 or 07887 682 574
- Release ends -
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.