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Blair's GM Food Comment Not A U-Turn Says Minister

According to a Reuters story , the British government has maintained its position on genetically modified (GM) food despite an article by Prime Minister Tony Blair seen as signalling a shift in policy, a cabinet minister said on Sunday.

Trade Secretary Stephen Byers said that Blair, who wrote about GM food in an article for the Independent on Sunday newspaper, had merely restated the government's policy of taking scientific advice on the issue. "There is no doubt that there is potential for harm, both in terms of human safety and in the diversity of our environment," Blair said. "But there is no doubt, either, that this new technology could bring benefits for mankind."