Crops that could help human health are being held back by GM regulations, the Government's top scientist warns.

Farmers work in a soybean field
Video: Calls To Loosen GM Crop Rules

Regulations on genetically modified crops should be overhauled so plants that are better for health or the environment can be grown in Britain, the Government's chief scientist has said.

Prof Sir Mark Walport says safety rules are holding back the development of GM crops that could help feed the world's growing population in a more sustainable way.

Currently crops containing new genes need to undergo rigorous toxicity testing, even though the extra proteins they produce are known to be safe in non-GM plants.

Sir Mark says the regulations should be replaced by a new licensing system similar to the one used for medicines.

He said: "It looks at how the product was made, it looks at the purpose of the product, it looks at all of risks and benefits and makes a balanced decision based on all the evidence.

"That's the way human drug regulation works and it makes complete sense that our foods should be regulated in similar fashion."

The current rules add £10-20m to the cost of developing a crop, which is prohibitive for the public sector and small companies.

Sir Mark's comments followed a report to the Council for Science and Technology, which he chairs.

In it, leading plant scientists call for a new programme of independent research to field test GM crops.

They argue that Europe risks losing out on an agricultural revolution.

Less than 0.1% of the global acreage of GM crops is cultivated in Europe - yet 70% of animal feed used in Britain is based on GM crops grown abroad.

One of the report's authors, Prof Jonathan Jones, said: "Technology for making crops healthier and more environmentally-friendly is moving on fast, but the regulatory system needs to change to allow us to take advantage of these benefits sooner."

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Sir Mark said building public trust in the technology "must be a priority".

He said: "Some sections of the public are either unconvinced by the scientific evidence they have seen, or doubt the motives behind it.

"The case must be made that food developed from GM is the product of sustainable agriculture, is of the highest nutritional quality, and can meet the needs of communities in different parts of the world."

But Friends of the Earth still opposes GM technology.

Senior food campaigner Vicki Hird said: "GM crops have been hugely over-hyped.
