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New members appointed to the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE)

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Ref: 255/09
Date: 3 November 2009

Defra Minister Dan Norris has appointed three new members to the Government’s Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE).  

ACRE is an independent advisory committee composed of leading scientific and farming experts. Its main function is to give statutory advice to Ministers in the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on the risks to human health and the environment from the release and marketing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It also advises on the release of certain non-GM species of plants and animals that are not native to Great Britain.

The three new members replace others who have had to retire from the committee having served the maximum ten years allowed under the Code issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The appointments have been made following agreement from the Devolved Administrations, to whom ACRE also reports.

The new members are:

  • Prof. Les Firbank – appointed for expertise in sustainable agriculture and land use. Les Firbank is director of North Wyke Research, and has a proven track record in GM environmental risk assessment research having been a key player in the farm-scale evaluations of GM herbicide-tolerant crops.
  • Prof. James Bullock – appointed for expertise in weed ecology and plant population biology. James Bullock from the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology has an international reputation in plant population biology and a great deal of relevant research experience.
  • Dr Ieuan Joyce – appointed for expertise in farming. Ieuan Joyce is a practising farmer in Wales with both hands-on experience and a relevant scientific background with post-doctoral research expertise.

The three members have been appointed for three years from 26th October 2009 and will receive the standard fee of £173 for each day spent attending ACRE meetings or on other ACRE business (about 20 days per year).

James Bullock and Les Firbank hold no other Ministerial public appointments.

Ieuan Joyce has been appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government to two posts. He is a non-remunerated member of the Upland Forum and a member of the Countryside Council for Wales and sits on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee as the Countryside Council for Wales representative. For this post his current remuneration is £11676 per annum.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. The new members have stated they are not involved in political activities.

 

 

Notes to editors

Members of ACRE are appointed purely for their expertise and do not represent any stakeholder groups.  The three new members have been appointed following a selection process regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) and the appointments had to be agreed by Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Ministers as ACRE has UK-wide responsibilities.   

Details of ACRE members can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/acre/about/members.htm and the register of their interests is at www.defra.gov.uk/acre/about/interests.htm

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Page published: 3 November 2009