UK government should reject gene editing and respect devolution
The UK Government should drop its plans to weaken the regulation of genetically modified foods, according to the Scottish Greens, who have said that it would be bad for people and our environment and poses a risk to devolution.
This comes as the House of Commons prepares to debate the controversial Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill, which would see the expansion of gene edited crops and livestock.
The Scottish Government has rightly opposed the measures in the Bill, but there are serious concerns that it will impact Scotland by allowing gene edited products from the rest of the UK to be sold here via the Internal Market Act.
The Scottish Greens environment spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“This UK government’s support for gene edited products is very concerning, and so is this reckless Bill. It would promote untested, controversial and unlabelled gene edited crops while straying from the EU standards that many have come to expect.
“It is part of a Tory vision of a deregulated post-Brexit Britain where rules can be ditched at the whim of ministers without democratic scrutiny. It could be a big backward step for animal welfare and consumer standards.
“Many thought that we had stopped Frankenstein foods long ago, but this could result in GMOs through the backdoor. It could be used to promote the use of unsustainable and damaging farming techniques that are bad for animal welfare, the environment and the image of Scottish food and farming.
“The Scottish Government is rightly opposed to gene editing, but this Bill threatens to override the Scottish Parliament's wishes by allowing gene edited products from the rest of the UK to be sold here in Scotland via the Internal Market Act.
“It is time to end the Westminster power grab. Debate and decisions on controversial technologies such as gene-editing need to happen where the power has been rightly devolved to.”