(This note is not part of the Regulations)

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—

(a)

regulation 5, which inserts a new regulation, regulation 23A, which makes provision for keeping information confidential in the interests of national security; and

(b)

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.