I am writing to say that I am broadly in favour of continued if cautious development of GM crops. As your excellent report makes clear, much of the media debate about GM has been highly illiterate.

For example, it is impossible to make sweeping statements about GM crops in general, since they are increasingly varied in origin and will become much more so in future. The way forward therefore lies in careful technical examination of each application to plant a GM crop on its merits. Some may indeed turn out be harmful in various ways, others will prove to be of great benefit. But it is very difficult to see any justification for a blanket ban on their future commercial growing in the UK.

It is regrettable that the public risks being deprived of a development of considerable potential benefit because of the poor standard of debate on this subject.

Donald Reid
Chief Executive, Association for Public Health, 1994-1999