What is the Welsh Government's position on GM crops, following the UK's recent vote in favour of all three GM maize crops at an EU level?
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs | Answered on 10/02/2017
The Welsh Government maintains its restrictive and precautionary approach to GM crop cultivation. Should the European Commission approve these three GM maize crops for cultivation, the Welsh Government has in place a provision which will ensure the territory of Wales is excluded from the subsequent approval licence for each of these varieties.
I, therefore, wrote to the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food asking him to abstain from the vote on these GM varieties. He declined and voted for the UK Member State in favour of the approval of all three GM varieties.