Science policy and society: the British debate over GM agriculture

The outcome of 'GM Nation?'--a public debate on genetic modification and the commercial growing of GM crops in Britain--was published in 2003. The objective of this public consultation was 'to promote an innovative, effective and deliberative programme of debate, against the background of the possible commercial production of GM crops in the UK...[and] provide meaningful information to Government about the nature and spectrum of the public's views, particularly at the grass roots level, to inform decision making'. Complementing an independent evaluation of GM Nation?, this article puts the debate into context, comments on the legitimacy of this, and similar exercises in public consultation, and develops some ideas on the future of public consultation on technological innovation.