'Consultation exercise on GM crops a sham' says Totnes Liberal Democrat, Mike Treleaven.

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 8th Jun 2003

The consultation exercise organised by the Government on the commercialisation of GM crops was attacked as a waste of time by Totnes Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson Mike Treleaven. Speaking after the news that hundreds of people across the West country had been denied access to the meeting organised by Defra in Taunton, he said

' People all over the country, and particularly down here in the West are rightfully concerned about the affects of GM crops. Defra have organised a consultation exercise which involves just 6 meetings in the whole of the U.K., with just the one at Taunton in West country Westcountry. The fact that hundreds of people were unable to attend demonstrates the level of feeling that exists. This consultation has been organised in haste, without waiting for the results of the field trials due later in the year, and without allowing the vast majority of concerned people the chance to contribute to this vital debate. It is a sham.' He continued " Reports in today's Observer that supermarkets will refuse to stock GM foods 'while consumer antipathy towards the biotech industry remains so entrenched' demonstrates that commercial organisations understand the public. The Government does not. The future of GM crops is of vital concern to people in the Totnes Constituency and we want a proper debate with all the scientific facts available. We do not want to have commercial growing of GM crops just foisted on us."