May 24, 2000 / PA News
UK Agriculture Minister Nick Brown is, according to this story, considering legal advice over the accidental release of GM-contaminated seed.
The Minister was cited as saying he and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott were seeking advice on the "complex legal issues" raised by the incident, including whether any offence has been committed.
Mr Brown told the Commons on May 18 that the Government had known of the problem since April 17 but had delayed making the facts public while it consulted advisers.
In a Commons written reply, Mr Brown was quoted as saying, "Mr Prescott and I have received and are now considering legal advice on the complex legal issues raised by this incident, including whether any offence has been committed. My officials are in discussion with the National Farmers' Union on the practical and legal implications of the incident for farmers whose crops may have been affected. My officials have been in contact with the Canadian authorities to obtain more detailed information about the circumstances surrounding this incident. One of my officials is travelling to Canada to follow this up and will report back to me and to the EU Standing Committee on Seeds on May 30. ... I will be following this up when I meet my colleagues at the informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers on May 29 to 30."
(posted without permission)
