UEA-MORI Genetically-modified (GM) Food Survey, 2003

The UK government-sponsored public debate on the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) crops that took place place during 2002-2003 was a unique experiment in the governance of technological innovation and risk. The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC), itself a novel institutional innovation, signalled the need for such a debate in 2002. Accordingly, the public debate was steered by an independent subcommittee of AEBC, which was named 'GM Nation? The Public Debate'.<br> <br> In November 2002, the 'Understanding Risk' team at the University of East Anglia were appointed as independent evaluators of this important exercise experiment in participatory democracy concerning the possible commercialisation of GM crops in the UK. The evaluation of the debate has mainly been focused upon those directly involved in the debate, including the observation of the debate planning process, observation of both public and closed meetings and issuing questionnaires to the participants of these meetings, interviewing representatives of engaged stakeholder organisations, and monitoring and analysing media coverage of the debate.<br> <br> This study examines the context in which the event-based core of the debate process takes place, and in particular of lay views on that debate. The team recognised the desirability of conducting a more general survey of impacts upon public attitudes towards the end of the debate process. The key objectives of this survey were to:<br> <li>Examine possible shifts in lay sensibilities, awareness and knowledge of risk issues in relation to GM food/crops (comparing data collected in the new survey in July/August 2003 at the end of the debate with that which was obtained in 2002 from the UEA-MORI Risk Survey, 2002 - held at UKDA under SN: 4707).</li><br> <li>Extend the question set to investigate lay perceptions and understanding of the GM debate process itself.</li><br> <li>Contribute to the overall evaluation of the debate, and through this to the public policy conclusions to be drawn by AEBC and government.</li><br> <br> <br>