NOTE: The Telegraph's 'Your View: Should Britain embrace genetically-modified crops?'
Lots of discussion here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=1W3KLQDH4O5JPQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2007/11/09/view09.xml

COMMENT from Gundula Azeez, Soil Association policy manager: We greatly welcome the fact that the overwelming majority of the 11,000 responses oppose Defra's plans to allow non-GM crops to be contaminated up to 0.9% and for the locations of GM crops to be kept secret from the public. This would prevent the production of GM-free food by organic and other farmers in the UK in future in areas where GM crops are grown, which is a totally unacceptable situation.

In particular, we welcome the fact that nearly all responses from the public support our position that contamination of organic crops should be kept below the 0.1% limit of detection, through measures taken by GM farmers, and that the GM sector should be fully economically liable for any costs or loss of market if contamination occurs.

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Britain 'to be growing GM crops by 2009' (front page)
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor Daily Telegraph, 09/11/2007 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/09/ngm109.xml&site=5&page=0

Ministers are set to push ahead with plans to introduce genetically-modified crops across Britain, despite widespread public opposition.

Officials expect the go-ahead for the commercial cultivation of GM crops to be given next year

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs yesterday published the results of a consultation involving more than 11,000 people on the growing of GM crops.

It showed that more than 95 per cent of the public are opposed to the produce.

Despite the backlash, a written statement slipped out in Parliament by the Government appeared to indicate that plans were now afoot to introduce GM crops.

Phil Woolas, the environment minister, said: 'GM crops may be approved for cultivation here in the future, if they pass the rigorous safety assessment procedure that is in place.'

He said the Government was awaiting the results of research on 'co-existence' - the safeguards needed to grow GM crops alongside conventional ones.

Officials expect the final go-ahead for the commercial cultivation of GM crops to be given next year, with the first batch possibly planted as soon as 2009.