Detailed guide: GM Inspectorate: deliberate release inspection programme

Consent to release a GMO is issued by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the GMO (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2002 (as amended).

Specific consents are issued with strict conditions for conducting and managing each release. It is the GM Inspectorate’s responsibility to ensure that consent holders are complying with these conditions by undertaking inspections of GM deliberate release field sites for both experimental (‘Part B’) and commercial (‘Part C’) consents.

See further information on GMOs and regulations.

In ‘Part B’ consents, conditions such as correct location and size of GM release, separation distances from other crops, presence and size of pollen barriers, control of volunteers and flowering plants, and monitoring requirements, may be imposed. GM Inspectors must verify that the release is compliant with these conditions, if this is found not to be the case the consent holder will be contacted and the matter investigated further.

Deliberate release reports

A Part B deliberate release inspection report includes the following:

• consent reference – the unique reference number designated by Defra
• name of the consent holder – the body which has been granted the consent
• release details – specifying the type of genetic modification (for example, herbicide tolerance)
• site number – site details, giving the location of the release site, including 6-figure Ordnance Survey grid reference
• type of crop grown at the release site
• site inspection date
• site inspection number – showing how many inspections have been carried out at the site during that year
• staff seen – showing the title of the personnel who provided the information to the Inspector
• ‘inspection details’ summarises the findings of the inspection
• ‘report conclusions’ identifies whether or not the consent conditions have been complied with and identifies any risks to human health or the environment
• ‘action taken’ highlights any activities carried out by the inspector in relation to the consent conditions

Experimental ‘Part B’ releases

Field inspection reports

Reports on field inspection visits are produced and submitted to Defra within an agreed framework of 5 working days. The consent holder and Defra have 20 days in which to comment on the factual details of the report before the reports are placed on the public register and published.

Reports from 1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research GM camelina release, 15 August 2018, site 1
  (PDF, 416KB, 1 page)
  

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research GM camelina release, 15 August 2018, site 2
  (PDF, 420KB, 2 pages)
  

Reports from 1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018

• 
  Growing season inspection of The Sainsbury Laboratory GM potato release, 11 August 2017
  (PDF, 182KB, 1 page)
  

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research GM wheat release, 18 July 2017
  (PDF, 114KB, 1 page)
  

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research GM camelina release, 18 July 2017
  (PDF, 114KB, 1 page)
  

Reports from 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research on 21 July 2016
  (PDF, 114KB, 1 page)
  

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research on 22 June 2016
  (PDF, 116KB, 1 page)
  

Reports from 1 April 2015 – 31 March 2016

• 
  Growing season inspection of Rothamsted Research on 10 June 2015
  (PDF, 115KB, 1 page)
  

Previous reports are available on the archived GM Inspectorate website.

Commercial ‘Part C’ releases

There are currently no commercial releases of GM crops in the UK.