Press release from GM Free Cymru 24 March 2004. Immediate release GM maize sunk by Welsh Assembly It was confirmed this evening that Carwyn Jones, the Welsh Assembly's Environment Minister, has agreed that he will not add Chardon LL maize to the National Seeds List without the authorization of the Assembly through a free vote on the issue. The Minister has a UK veto on the listing of GM seeds, and on this matter he has given up his delegated powers and agreed to follow the majority wishes of Assembly members. This means effectively that Chardon LL will not now be added to the Seeds Register, and that there is no hope at all that it could be grown anywhere in the UK before its current Part C consent expires in October 2006. In today's debate on GM, instigated by the Lib Dems, the Minister was forced to make his statement on a free vote by a threat from a number of Labour AMs to abstain or vote for the Lib Dem motion. In the event the motion was defeated by 26 votes to 29, and the significance of the Minister's pledge went almost unnoticed in the welter of party-political points scoring. Significantly, not a single AM spoke in favour of GM generally, or for the seed listing of Chardon LL maize (1). Speaking for GM Free Cymru, Dr Brian John said this evening: "This is fantastic news for Wales and for the rest of the UK. There is not the slightest chance that when -- if ever -- the listing of Chardon LL comes up for debate in the Assembly, it will be approved. "Whatever their party politics may be, Assembly members are remarkably well informed on GM issues, and there are many problems related to Chardon LL which are only just coming to light. The science which has brought Chardon LL this close to commercialization is corrupt, and we hope that Bayer CropScience will now withdraw the various applications for GM maize and for Liberty herbicide which are still on the table." GM Free Cymru, which has lobbied hard for this decision along with many other organizations across the UK, feels that the thousands of messages that have poured in to Assembly members over the past week have not only reflected public opposition to GM technology but have sent a corporate raspberry in the direction of Margaret Beckett. On the 9th March she famously flouted the wishes of the British people and the advice of the Environmental Audit Committee by announcing that Chardon LL would be commercialized (2). In concluding the GM Free Cymru statement, Dr John said: "We applaud what Carwyn Jones has done here. He is a very brave politician. It is not often that a Minister passes a small part of his delegated responsibilities back to an elected chamber, but that is what he has done. This is a triumph for democracy, and if the Westminster government now tries to by-pass or over-ride this decision by the Assembly Cabinet, it will have a massive political crisis on its hands." ENDS Contact: Brian John tel 01239-820470 ========================= NOTES: [1] Assembly motions debated today: (a) The text of the Liberal Democrat motion lost by 26 votes to 29: NDM1886 Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire) To propose that the National Assembly: 1. Directs the Labour Assembly Government to reiterate its policy of applying the precautionary principle and adopting the most legally restrictive policy possible in relation to GM crops; 2. Welcomes and endorses the conclusion of the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee that it would be irresponsible for the UK government to allow the commercial planting of GM crops; 3. Welcomes the investment in organic and traditional agriculture in Wales but believes that this investment would be jeopardised by the commercial growing of GM crops in the UK; 4. Deplores the announcement by the UK Government of its intention to approve the growing of the GM Maize Chardon LL and directs the Labour Assembly Government to ensure that Chardon LL is not added to the UK seed list. [b] The text of the Labour amendment approved by 29 votes to 26: 1. Karen Sinclair (Clwyd South) Labour Delete all after National Assembly and replace with: 1. Supports the Welsh Assembly Government policy of applying the precautionary principle and adopting the most restrictive policy possible within current UK and EU legislation in relation to the cultivation of GM crops; 2. Believes that robust coexistence measures should be in place prior to any listing of GM crops. (2) GM Policy Statenment to the House of Commons by Secretary of State Margaret Beckett, 9th March 2004.