Top UK government scientist calls for thrust on GM crops

Genetically modified crops could be more nutritious than natural produce, the UK government's chief scientist adviser told the prime minister.

In a note to  Prime  Minister David Cameron, Sir Mark Walport, chief scientific adviser recommended that farmers should start to plant GM crops.

He said there was no scientific evidence to suggest that such crops were dangerous to humans or the environment.

He argued that GM crops could even be more beneficial to health, adding the genetic make up of plants could be modified by scientists by adding nutrients.

He added, GM crops would cut down on the need for pesticides and help farmers feed a growing population at a time when global warming threatened climates.

He wrote that, ''extensive studies have failed to reveal any inherent risks to humans or the environment.''

 ''We take it for granted that because our shelves and supermarkets are heaving with food that there are no problems with food security. But we have limited land in the UK and climate disruption and population growth are putting pressure on food supply.''

GM crops had polarised opinion since their introduction by US scientists in 1982.

According to anti-GM activists the crops could cause cancer, damage ecosystems and cross-pollinate with grasses to produce ''super-weeds''.

According to Walport, regulations on genetically modified crops need to be overhauled so plants that were better for health or the environment could be grown in the UK.

Walport said safety rules were holding back the development of GM crops that could help feed the world's growing population in a more sustainable way.

Under current regulations, new genes need to undergo rigorous toxicity testing, even though the extra proteins they produced were known to be safe in non-GM plants.

According Walport the regulations needed to be replaced by a new licensing system similar to the one used for medicines.

He said regulations looked at how the product was made, looked at the purpose of the product, all of risks and benefits and made a balanced decision based on all the evidence.

He said that was the way human drug regulation worked and it made complete sense that our foods need to be regulated in similar fashion.

The current rules added £10-£20 million to the cost of developing a crop, which was prohibitive for the public sector and small companies.

Walport's comments followed a report to the Council for Science and Technology, which he chairs, in which scientist had called for a new programme of independent research to field test GM crops.