The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2002
1.
These Regulations may be cited as the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 and shall come into force on 8th February 2002.
2.
3.
In regulation 22(3), after the words “following information, which” there shall be inserted the words “, subject to regulation 23A,”.
4.
In regulation 23(3), after the words “following information, which” there shall be inserted the words “, subject to regulation 23A,”.
5.
“Confidentiality in the interests of national security23A
(1)
There shall be kept confidential any information referred to in regulations 22(3) and 23(3) if, and so long as, the Secretary of State is of the opinion that such information should be kept confidential in the interests of national security.
(2)
Where the Secretary of State is of the opinion that information referred to in regulation 22(3) should be kept confidential in the interests of national security, that information shall not be disclosed except—
(a)
to the extent necessary to evaluate the notification in question; and
(b)
to the European Commission.
(3)
Where the Secretary of State is of the opinion that information referred to in regulation 23(3) should be kept confidential in the interests of national security, that information shall not be disclosed except to the extent necessary to enable the competent authority to comply with its obligations under regulation 21(2).
(4)
A person may give written notice to the Secretary of State—
(a)
specifying information which appears to that person to be information to which paragraph (1) may apply; and
(b)
indicating its apparent nature.
(5)
If a person gives a written notice pursuant to paragraph (4), at the same time he shall give written notice to the competent authority that he has done so.
(6)
Subject to paragraph (7), no information notified pursuant to paragraph (4) shall be disclosed until the Secretary of State has determined that it should not be kept confidential in the interests of national security.
(7)
Information notified pursuant to paragraph (4) may be disclosed before the Secretary of State has made the determination referred to in paragraph (6)—
(a)
in the case of information referred to in regulation 22(3)—
(i)
to the extent necessary to evaluate the notification in question, and
(ii)
to the European Commission;
(b)
in the case of information referred to in regulation 23(3), to the extent necessary to enable the competent authority to comply with its obligations under regulation 21(2).
(8)
A person who receives information by virtue of paragraphs (2)(a), (3), (7)(a)(i) or (7)(b) shall not use that information except for the purposes of the competent authority.”.
6.
In regulation 24—
(a)
“This regulation is subject to regulation 24A.”;
(b)
“competent authority shall maintain a register of every notification submitted under regulations 9 to 12 and the register”;
(c)
in paragraph (3), there shall be omitted the words “referred to in paragraph (1)”; and
(d)
“(11)
In this regulation, “the register” means the register maintained by the competent authority in accordance with paragraph (2).”.
7.
“Information not to be included in the register24A.
(1)
No information shall be included in the register if and so long as, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the inclusion in the register of that information, or information of that description, would be contrary to the interests of national security.
(2)
For the purpose of securing the exclusion from the register of information to which paragraph (1) applies, the Secretary of State may give to the competent authority directions—
(a)
specifying information, or descriptions of information, to be excluded from the register; or
(b)
specifying descriptions of information to be referred to the Secretary of State for his determination.
(3)
No information referred to the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph (2)(b) shall be included in the register until the Secretary of State determines that it should be so included.
(4)
The competent authority shall notify the Secretary of State of any information it excludes from the register in accordance with directions given to it under paragraph (2).
(5)
A person may give a written notice to the Secretary of State—
(a)
specifying information which appears to that person to be information to which paragraph (1) may apply; and
(b)
indicating its apparent nature.
(6)
If a person gives a written notice pursuant to paragraph (5), at the same time he shall give written notice to the competent authority that he has done so.
(7)
No information notified pursuant to paragraph (5) shall be included in the register until the Secretary of State has determined that it shall be so included.
(8)
In this regulation, “the register” means the register maintained by the competent authority in accordance with regulation 24(2).”.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
These Regulations amend the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000, S.I. 2000/2831 (“the 2000 Regulations”), certain provisions of which implement, as respects Great Britain, Council Directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms, as amended by Commission Directive 94/51/EC and Council Directive 98/81/EC. The principal amendments are contained in—
regulation 5, which inserts a new regulation, regulation 23A, which makes provision for keeping information confidential in the interests of national security; and
regulation 7, which inserts a new regulation, regulation 24A, which makes provision for the exclusion from the register, maintained in accordance with regulation 24 of the 2000 Regulations, of information where, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the inclusion of such information on the register would be contrary to the interests of national security.