September 23, 1999 | genetics@gn.apc.org | Nicholas Watt, Political Correspondent
Tony Blair's efforts to encourage the development of genetically modified food suffered a setback yesterday with the announcement that GM products will no longer be served at the Palace of Westminster.
A notice, displayed prominently in canteens around the palace, announced that the use of GM food would be "avoided wherever possible".
Sue Harrison, the director of the Commons refreshment department, said that she had decided to act because of general unease about GM foods.
Ms Harrison, who has asked suppliers to provide non-GM foods, added that she was making no judgment about the foods but was merely responding to demand.
Her statement, which follows the decision of the Commons all-party catering committee to give the refreshment department a free hand over whether to serve GM food, will be an embarrassing reminder to the prime minister of widespread disquiet over GM food.
Mr Blair has called for people to "keep an open mind" on the issue.
Dennis Turner, the Labour chairman of the Commons catering committee, indicated last night that he was taken by surprise by yesterday's announcement.
"The director of catering will want to bring a report to the next meeting of the catering committee," Mr Turner said. "She will presumably want to justify to us the decision."
MPs were also surprised by the decision because they thought that the refreshment department was concentrating on meeting the government's target of labelling GM food by the end of this month.
The prime minister, who has criticised opponents of GM food for exaggerating the dangers, has argued powerfully for research trials to be allowed to continue.
In his most recent comments he said that genetic modification could be the leading science of the next century.
"All I say to people is: just keep an open mind and let us proceed according to genuine scientific evidence," Mr Blair said during the summer.
