PA 25.03.97 14:20
Copyright 1997 PA News. Copying, storing, redistribution, retransmission, publication, transfer or commerical exploitation of this information is expressly forbidden.
By Jo Dillon, Parliamentary Staff, PA News
Experts today highlighted the increasing risks for public health posed by genetically engineered food. A Glasgow conference of the Scottish Consumers' Association for Natural Foods urged a complete moratorium on the use of genetically engineered organisms in food.
Their call has been backed by the Natural Law Party, which has pledged to ban food produced in this way "until there is incontrovertible evidence confirming their safety". The party's deputy leader, Peter Warburton, said: "However great or small the risks may seem to be, the Natural Law Party believes that life should never be sacrificed for economic gain."
He also said the party would implement programmes to raise the level of consciousness in society. "By bringing the collective consciousness of the nation more in alliance with Natural Law, there will automatically be more support from manufacturers, retailers and consumers for an approach to agriculture and food which is more natural, health and life-supporting", Mr Warburton said.
Other political parties added their voices to the calls for a change in practice to deal with the feared risks of eating genetically engineered food.
Liberal Democrat Eileen McCartin, the Party's Scottish food safety spokeswoman, said they supported full-disclosure labelling as well as complete segregation of genetically engineered crops.
The Green Party called for a moratorium while the Scottish National Party said it would encourage organic farming and support the clear labelling of genetically engineered foods.
In the wake of recent health scares, including BSE and E.coli, the conference resolved to lobby MPs and MEPs for "responsible decisions to be made" at the UN Codex Committee on Food Labelling next month.