Whether it has any plans to make arrangements for any of its functions in respect of the deliberate release of GM materials to be exercised…

An order was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 28 March 2002 in exercise of powers conferred by sections 93(3) and 113 of the Scotland Act 1998. The instrument specifies certain functions for the purposes of section 93(1) of that act, which may be exercised by a Minister of the Crown on behalf of Scottish ministers. The relevant functions in relation to the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms are:maintaining the public register;determining those particulars which may be excluded from the public register for reasons of commercial confidentiality, andreceiving and examining applications for consent to release or market genetically modified organisms.The order does not transfer ministerial responsibility for these functions but, in practice, provides for suitably qualified officials in a UK Government department to carry out certain functions in accordance with the terms of an agency arrangement. This clarifies an arrangement which has been in place since the mid-1990s and does not constitute any change in practice.