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GM DIALOGUE: THE THREE STRANDS

The context

Government 1 announced in May 2002 that there should be a national dialogue on genetic modification (GM) issues.

As stated at the start of the review:

GM techniques have opened up a wide range of possibilities, including GM crops. Each of these "GM possibilities" is characterised by:

  • considerable public interest and concern;
  • long-term opportunities, risks and uncertainties;
  • complex science;
  • international regulatory frameworks.

Government has a number of responsibilities to fulfil and decisions to make with respect to these "GM possibilities" against a background which includes:

  • existing public attitudes to GM, to the potential impacts of GM and to the institutions involved in promoting and regulating GM technology;
  • the ethical, social and environmental implications of GM;
  • scientific evidence on the impacts of GM;
  • economic analysis of the costs and benefits associated with GM applications;
  • the wider international context, including the legal and regulatory framework at the EU and international level.

The overall GM dialogue should enable an assessment and discussion of each of these areas, and should help to further understanding of these and other issues amongst the public, experts and other stakeholders, and Government. The dialogue should be credible to participants in it and to these different audiences.

The strands

The national dialogue announced by Government has had three main strands: a public debate, this review of the science around GM, and an economics study.

The public debate was designed to be an innovative, effective and deliberative programme, with the issues for debate framed by the public, conducted at arm's length from Government by an independent steering board. The steering board reported to Government on 24 September 2003 on what the debate indicated about public views. [Click here for the public debate website.]

The economics study was an analysis of the nature and distribution of costs and benefits that could arise under different scenarios for the commercialisation of GM crops in the UK. The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit carried out this study, which was published on 11 July 2003. [Click here for the economics study website]

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been supporting a range of innovative events and activities to independently assess consumer views on the acceptability of GM foods and how that relates to consumer choice. Activities have included surveys on the attitudes to GM foods of young people and people on low incomes to ensure that their views are fully represented in the debate; and a citizen's jury broadcast live on the Internet. The results of these activities are described in the FSA report 'Consumer Views of GM Food', available via the GM pages of the FSA website. The FSA Board has considered the results of these activities and on 17 July the report was submitted to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

1 "Government" means the UK Government, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the administration in Northern Ireland.
   
Help/Terms & conditions Page published 29 November 2002; last modified 22 January, 2004