HSE - Scientific Advisory Committee on Genetically Modified Organisms (SACGM)

1. Welcome/apologies

2. Secretariat report on European and International activities related to Genetically Modified Organisms - ACGM/02/P08

Members were provided with an update on the negotiations on the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice (in environmental matters) and the Cartagena convention relating to transboundary movements of GMOs. All involved Contained Use provisions to some degree. Secretariat guided members to appropriate DEFRA and Food Standards Agency contacts to answer questions relating to GM animals and food.

3. Secretariat report on the annual review of exclusions from the public register - ACGM/02/P07

Members were informed of the numbers of activities withdrawn from the public register during the year in the interest of national security and the discussions which had taken place to review the list of activities excluded from the register. Members were satisfied that the current list should remain.

4. TSC report - oral update

Members received an oral report on the Technical Sub-Committee held on 11 November 2002. Two new members had been welcomed. Three papers had been presented and discussed:

• On the use of plant viruses as gene vectors from risk assessments submitted to HSE for work with PVX and TMV vectors which were being used to express foreign proteins in plants and for use in gene silencing.
• On construction of chimaeric viruses of bovine viral diarrhoea virus and hepatitis C virus which had arisen from a couple of similar notifications to HSE which had raised a number of issues.
• On issues arising from the use of an adenovirus-FGF construction in gene therapy.

5. Outline proposals to amend the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 - ACGM/02/P06

Secretariat introduced the paper giving preliminary thoughts on changes needed to the Regulations, which would be developed into a draft Consultative Document on which ACGM would be consulted. The primary driver for change now was that the requirement to extend the competent authority in relation to premises and activities outside Great Britain referred to in reg 30 needed defining. Members also discussed the possibility of putting the specific location of each activity onto the Public Register and removal of the regional versions of the Public Register and treatment of waste. HSE would consider the points raised further and circulate a draft Consultative Document to ACGM for comment.

6. Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 and Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1993 overlap - ACGM/02/P09

This paper discussed a proposed single administrative system for circumstances where there was an overlap between applications under the Contained Use Regulations and the Plant Health Order. This item was not formally discussed. Members did not raise any issues with the Secretariat.

7. iBio presentation.

DTI gave a presentation on IBio, an IT project designed to enable users to access all government biotechnology sites through one portal.

8. Any other business

• A paper seeking more information on notifications, enforcement action and significant developments in the contained use arena was put forward. Secretariat agreed to produce an annual synopsis of information for placing on the ACGM agenda. The TSC oral report also contributed to keeping members informed.
• A member sought clarification with regard to the confidentiality status of information provided to HSE in preparation for inspection or visits (in particular in relation to class 1 activities). The issue went wider than contained use of GMOs and would need cross-HSE consideration. HSE agreed to consider a number of options for dealing with the issue and produce guidance.

9. ACGM/TSC/ACRE joint horizon scanning exercise (with reference to 'Forward Look' - ACGM/02/P5).

In the afternoon, ACGM welcomed members of the Advisory Committee on Releases into the Enrivonment for a joint horizon scanning exercise. The purpose of this exercise was to provide a forward look on GM for the HSC and for DEFRA. A draft paper summarising the many ideas put forward would be circulated to DEFRA, ACGM and ACRE delegates for comment before submission to the HSC.

The morning session of the ACGM meeting is open to the public. Unfortunately room and safety constraints mean that there are only a limited number of places currently available.