Daily Mail / March 8, 1999
Fresh questions over Lord Sainsbury's links with 'Frankenstein food' were raised last night after it emerged that he met officials from a major GM firm.
The beleaguered Science Minister insists he steers clear of decisions on mutant crops because of his financial interests in the food industry.
But last night it was revealed that he had met three officials from Monsanto, the GM giant behind controversial gene-altered soya and maize, in his private office on the eve of a key seminar with environmentalists.
The Department of Trade and Industry last night confirmed the meeting had taken place (on December 14) but insisted that GM foods had not been the main point of the discussions.
The three Monsanto officials were public affairs director Ann Foster, Hugh Grant, president of the company's agricultural division in Missouri, and Robert Horsch, a specialist in GM plants and general manager of a research
company.
Miss Foster said the meeting included discussion of GM crops and was a 'perfectly normal' part of the political process.
The revelation brought renewed demands from Shadow Trade Secretary John Redwood last night for the millionaire Minister's resignation.
He said, "Lord Sainsbury who is a shareholder and investor in GM companies had made it clear in some of his statements that because of that he has nothing to do with GM issues in government.
"So I don't see why he is having a meeting with Monsanto on this particular date. Which story is he going to stick to?" A DTI spokesman said the meeting was at Monsanto's request adding, "He meets numerous companies and other non governmental organisations and he did agree to meet Monsanto to discuss issues relating to research and development in the biosciences." But she insisted it was not specifically about GM foods.
Lord Sainsbury is on record as saying he takes no part in Government decisions or discussions on the issue.
Critics say that although his holdings in the family supermarket empire and in biotechnology firms are held in a 'blind trust' so he cannot control dealings in them, they still make money for him, and that if the biotechnology
industry flourishes, so will his shares.
After it emerged recently Lord Sainsbury had been on a trade mission to Korea which is said to have discussed biotechnology, the DTI claimed he did not have to run from the room if GM foods came up in 'conversations,' but should
not make decisions about them or hold Ministerial discussions.
However a series of revelations about his involvement in discussions on the topic have increased Opposition suspicions of a conflict of interest.
