February 15, 2003

Ref: 2003/0329

A distinctive and innovative range of initiatives to independently assess people's views on the acceptability of genetically modified food and how this relates to consumer choice was announced
today by the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA). These initiatives will form the Agency's contribution to the wider Government debate about genetic modification.

The Agency's activities include a Citizens' Jury, which will address the question: 'Should GM foods be available to buy in the UK?' Following an introduction by Professor Kathy Sykes, the new Bristol University Collier Professor in the Public Engagement of Science and Engineering, the jury will hear evidence from a wide cross-section of experts, deliberate the issues, and make their verdict public.

The Citizens' Jury, comprised of members of the public in Slough, will take part in sessions on GM food and safety, GM food and the consumer, GM food and society, and GM food and choice. Witnesses will be invited from a variety of both national and international social science, scientific, consumer, campaigning and industry organisations in order to ensure that the jurors have access to the entire spectrum of views on GM food. The jury's questioning of witnesses and their verdict will be broadcast on the web.

The announcement coincides with the launch of a new FSA website about genetically modified food:
www.food.gov.uk/gmdebate and publication of a new booklet providing factual information to consumers about GM food.

As well as the Citizens' Jury, the Agency is carrying out a variety of initiatives to reach young people and consumers in low income groups, and ensure that their views on GM food are reflected in the wider Government debate about genetic modification. These are: sponsorship of a schools debating competition at Durham University, a video about genetically modified foods made by school students, and discussion groups with young people and consumers on low incomes in Scotland. (1)

The Agency’s activities are in line with its remit to protect consumer interests in relation to food, and demonstrates its commitment to consumer choice, openness and transparency. These actvities will take place alongside the Agency's ongoing research programme into the safety of GM foods and research into new and emerging technologies. (2)

Sir John Krebs, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said:

'The Agency is carrying out a wide range of initiatives to deepen our understanding of consumer views on GM food – particularly those of young people and people on low incomes who don't often have a voice in public debates.

'Our aim – by using a number of innovative methods – is to engage with a variety of consumers, enabling us to make a distinctive and independent contribution to the wider Government GM debate.

'Outcomes of all the FSA initiatives will be made public. They will also be discussed at an open meeting of the Food Standards Agency Board in the summer of 2003. Following discussion, the Agency will submit its views to Government.'

DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY INITIATIVES

1. Citizens Jury, Slough. 3rd – 7 April 2003.
The FSA has commissioned Opinion Leader Research (OLR) to run a Citizens' Jury on GM Food with the purpose of testing public opinion about GM food, exploring public concerns and testing their validity, and informing the Agency's thinking about the issue. A jury of 12 to 16 members of the public will consider the question: 'Should GM foods be available to buy in the UK?'

Professor Kathy Sykes, the new Bristol University Collier Professor in the Public Engagement of Science and Engineering, which seeks to communicate scientific and technological research in a user-friendly way to the public, will introduce the three-day event in Slough. She is also one of five presenters of BBC 2's Rough Science programme.

Citizens' Jury members will be recruited by OLR using well-established methods and will reflect the local population. They will hear evidence from a wide cross-section of experts in the field, and will be able to question the experts and ask for additional evidence, before formulating a response. The jury will also be asked to explain the reasoning behind their decision, including any conditions or recommendations.

To ensure transparency, the Citizens' Jury proceedings will be broadcast on the Internet and all evidence presented to the jury will be published on the FSA's website.

2. Schools Debating Competition, Durham University. 22 – 23 March 2003.
The Agency is sponsoring this well-known debating competition, which attracts up to 100 teams from a mixture of state and private schools across the UK and some from abroad. The motion – 'This house would eat genetically modified foods' – will be debated by the four teams reaching the final of the competition.

The FSA is also providing a bursary fund to enable 10 schools from disadvantaged areas to take part in the competition. The English Speaking Union and equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales are helping to identify suitable schools.

3. School Video, Acland Burghley Comprehensive School. Completed 22 April 2003.
A group of 26 Year 10 (aged 14-15) media students from this North London Comprehensive School will be producing a short video about genetically modified foods. The students – through the process of researching and producing the video – will have an opportunity to explore and reflect on their own views and those of their peers on the topic of GM foods. The video will discuss reasons why particular views are held and present evidence for those views.

The students will be supported in the technical production of the video by their media tutors and a professional film-maker who has extensive experience of working with young people. The school's science department will also be involved in the project to provide background material and support to the production group. The video will also be broadcast on the FSA website.

4. Qualitative discussion groups with young people and people on low incomes, Scotland. March 2003.
The Food Standards Agency Scotland will be working with the Scottish Civic Forum to organise and run four one-day events in Scotland to discuss issues of consumer choice and acceptability of GM foods. The Scottish Civic Forum is a membership organisation committed to building a culture of active citizenship, in which Scottish people have opportunities to be more involved in shaping policies that may affect them. The Forum exists to build links between Scottish people, their Parliament and between different parts of civic society, and its role is to support small and poorly resourced organisations in engaging with Government. The Forum will use its their membership organisations to identify possible participants and expert speakers.

Two of the events will involve discussions with groups of low income/disadvantaged consumers – one group from an urban area, and one from a rural area.

The other two events will be designed to target people in the 18-25 age group via discussion groups with students from colleges in different parts of Scotland.

5. Booklet. Published 14 February 2003.
The aim of the booket, entitled GM food – opening up the debate is to provide the basic information consumers will need to take part in the debate about GM food. The booklet focuses on two key issues within the Agency's remit – to ensure that any GM food is thoroughly assessed for safety, and to ensure that consumers are given as much choice as possible.

The booklet includes a glossary and a timeline designed to put genetic modification in context. The booklet does not cover environmental issues such as biodiversity or economic or social issues as these matters will be considered in other parts of the wider Government debate on genetic modification.

6. Website. Live 14 February 2003.
A new interactive website has been created to give people the information they need to take part in the debate and to learn about genetic modification through both words and animation. This 'microsite' (www.food.gov.uk/gmdebate) will also be the place to go to find out about events the Agency is running to encourage debate about GM food.

Features of this new website include a 'time tour' to explore the history of gene manipulation, an animated explanation of the GM process, and an interactive quiz to test your knowledge of GM.

1. All Food Standards Agency activities will be independently evaluated.
2. A research programme to investigate new and emerging techniques and their potential application for refining the safety assessment of GM foods began in September 2001, with a budget of £6million over 3 years. The Agency spends approximately £800,000 per year on ongoing research into the safety of GM foods.