Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) role the Genetic Modification Inspectorate will play and (b) procedures it will follow in monitoring and reporting on environmental releases of qualifying higher plants under the terms of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022.

The Genetic Modification Inspectorate carries out inspections of Genetically Modified Organism field trials in accordance with the powers granted to them under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including for qualifying higher plants where there is a possibility of non-compliance.

We have more than thirty years of experience of GMO field trials and there is no evidence that any of these have affected commercial crops or the wider environment.