GM Dialogue

The GM Dialogue, in 2003-04, comprised three interlinked strands:

• a public debate run by an independent steering board
• a review of the science led by the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in conjunction with an independent panel of academics; and
• a study into the overall costs and benefits of GM crops by the Government's Strategy Unit.

The GM Dialogue arose from a recommendation by the Government's strategic advisory body in this area, the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC), in their report "Crops on Trial" [PDF] (430 KB) published in 2001. (Reports by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) are available via their website at www.aebc.gov.uk.)

On 9 March 2004, the Secretary of State made a statement to Parliament on GM policy (a News Release was also issued). This followed a careful evaluation of all the evidence available to us, including the reports of the three strands of the GM Dialogue.

The Government also published a detailed written response to the findings of the GM Dialogue:

• GM Dialogue - Government response [PDF] (130 KB)

The GM Public Debate

• The public GM debate "GM Nation?", launched on 3 June 2003, was overseen by an independent steering board chaired by Professor Malcolm Grant, chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC). Further details are available on the "GM Nation?" web site - www.gmnation.org.uk.
  
  The steering board published their report on 24 September 2003 - see this news article and News Release. The report itself is available from www.gmnation.org.uk/ut_09/ut_9_6.htm
  
  The Government has also produced a report on the lessons learned from the public debate process [PDF] (30 KB)

The Study of Costs and Benefits

• The Government's Strategy Unit was asked to carry out a study into the overall costs and benefits of GM crops, including their effect on conventional and organic farming interests. Their report "Field Work: Weighing up the Costs and Benefits of GM crops" was published on 11 July 2003 (Strategy Unit web site) - see also this News Story

The Science Review

• The science component reviewed the scientific issues concerning genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The science review was led by Professor David King (the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser) working with Professor Howard Dalton (the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), with independent advice from the Food Standards Agency. The first report of the GM science review was published on 21 July 2003 while their final report was published on 22 January 2004. Further information and both reports are available on the Science Review's website at www.gmsciencedebate.org.uk.

Background Information

• GM crops and the public debate on GM issues: Statement by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - 24 March 2003
• Margaret Beckett's letter to Malcolm Grant, Chair of the Steering Board on the public debate on GM, 7 November 2002 (Adobe Acrobat format, 55kb)
• "Environment Minister kick starts public debate on GM" - Michael Meacher discusses the public debate in an article in the Guardian's Society supplement, 15th August 2002
• Margaret Beckett's press release on the GM debate: Public to choose issues for GM debate - (News Release, 26 July 2002)
• Government response to the AEBC advice
• Margaret Beckett's press release announcing the GM debate - (News Release, 31st May 2002)
• The AEBC's advice - (26th April 2002)

Some Useful Links

There is existing background information on GM crops on the Defra web site at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/fse/index.htm. Other sites you may find useful include the following:

• Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission
• Agricultural Biotechnology Council
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
• CropGen
• Food Standards Agency
• Friends of the Earth
• GeneWatch
• Greenpeace
• Royal Society
• Soil Association

Contacting Defra

If you want further information about the GM debate that is not covered by these pages, you can contact us by e-mail at:

• gm@defra.gsi.gov.uk