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Written question asked by Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative) on Monday, 6 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 8 February 2006. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

GM Crops

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the value of genetically modified crops imported to the UK from Spain in (a) 2003 and (b) 2005.
Answer

The only GM crop which is approved for cultivation in Spain is maize, and we understand that no GM maize that has been grown in Spain is exported to the UK. Any GM maize grain imported into the UK from Spain would itself have been imported into Spain from outside the EU.The total value of grain maize (combined figure for both GM and non-GM) exported from Spain to the UK in (a) 2003 and (b) 2005 was:

£
Value
2003 1,152,000
2005 17,742,000

Only part of the total export was genetically modified. We do not keep specific records of the total of specifically GM imports, although since April 2004 exporters have been required under new EU legislation to keep for five years records of imports of GM crops. This data is not however collected centrally.GM maize is only legal in the EU if the product has been approved under stringent EU legislation.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
50048; 442 c1815W;442 c1815W
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Crops Genetically modified organisms Imports Spain
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk