The premise and framing of the Genetic Technology Bill are both deeply flawed. “Precision breeding” is genetic modification and needs to be subjected to both independent safety checks and full traceability to protect our food, our farms and the natural environment.
Citizens want strong regulation and clear labelling of genetically engineered foods but this bill removes their right to choose while threatening food and farming businesses, devolution and international trade. It also falls far short of fulfilling the Government’s stated commitment to protecting animal welfare. The bill text is poorly drafted and introduces significant legal ambiguity just as the Government departments that will need to put its provisions into practice are also tasked with delivering the extensive impacts of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill and significant changes to agricultural policy.
The Genetic Technology Bill is the wrong bill at the wrong time. GM Freeze urges MPs to vote against the Report Stage and Third Reading while also supporting amendments that will help mitigate some of its most damaging impacts.
