Executive cave-in on GM crops starts

Greens urge ministers to acknowledge real danger to environment.

The Executive has revealed its approach to GM crops with new proposals which will mean that biotech companies will not be responsible for the damage they cause to the environment. Greens are furious that Scottish ministers have failed to acknowledge the real danger of GM crop trials and commercialisation by not opting for strict environmental liability.

An EU environmental liability directive due to enter British law this year introduces the "polluter pays principle". However, Greens are concerned that the Executive will follow Westminster in opting for the bare minimum protection for the environment - rather than strict liability - by allowing companies to avoid liability under certain circumstances. The Welsh Assembly is set to go further than London's Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by opting for tough liability, and Greens want Scotland to follow that example.

Mark Ruskell MSP, Green speaker on environment, has proposed a bill at Holyrood to make GM companies strictly liable for any economic damage as a result of contamination caused by GM crop trials and commercialisation.

Mr Ruskell said, "Just yesterday a report revealed that GM crops are bad news for the environment and for farmers around the world. The lack of consumer demand sends a strong message to biotech companies that their attempts to foist GM onto an unwilling public have so far been fruitless.

"The Executive needs to recognise how crucial this issue is to the environment and the future of Scottish agriculture, and opt for the very toughest regulations in terms of environmental liability AND economic liability so that our farmers and their businesses have the protection they need and deserve. If Welsh ministers can provide that protection, why can't the Executive? Ministers need only look to Canada and the US where farmers have suffered financial ruin following GM contamination of their crops."

The Executive has repeatedly delayed a separate crucial consultation on the threat of GM crops and in November 2006 announced that it will not take place until this summer, after the next election. Ministers were due to issue proposals on the "co-existence" of GM crops in summer 2005, and Greens argue that the delays indicates Labour and LibDems' fear of drawing attention to their support for GM crops.