In 2003 the UK government sponsored a major nationwide public debate on the commercialisation of GM crops (GM Nation?) as a part of its policy development for this issue. In order to examine the context in which the debate process has taken place, and in particular of lay views on that debate, the current research involved a general survey of the impacts of this debate upon general public attitudes in Britain. Although not itself directly funded through the Science in Society Programme, this research builds upon our Phase1 research project Public Perceptions of Risk, Science and Governance, utilising survey items and baseline comparative data from that project. Joint funding for the research was obtained from ESRC’s (former) Research Priorities Board, and the Leverhulme Trust under its Understanding Risk programme grant to University of East Anglia.
The survey had two main objectives:
· To examine public perceptions of GM food and agricultural biotechnology in general, and possible shifts in awareness and knowledge of risk issues in relation to GM food, compared to baseline results obtained from our Phase 1 ESRC Science in Society project Public Perceptions of Risk, Science and Governance.
· To investigate public awareness, perceptions and understanding of the GM Nation? debate process itself.
Data for this study were collected between 19 July and 12 September 2003. A quantitative survey was administered in Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) by the market research company MORI. A national representative quota sample of 1,363 people aged 15 years and older was interviewed face-to-face in their own homes. The overall sample was made up of a core British sample of 1,017 interviews, plus booster surveys in Scotland of 151 interviews and in Wales of 195 interviews.
The questionnaire consisted of three main sections. The first section examined public perceptions of GM food using a set of questions similar to those asked in the Phase 1 Science in Society survey conducted during the previous summer of 2002. The second section contained questions that were adapted from the GM Nation? public debate’s own questionnaire. These questions were designed to measure specific risks and benefits associated with GM food and crops. The third section of the survey contained questions specifically developed to assess people’s attitudes towards the GM Nation? debate process itself.
Relevance to Users
The research contributes to the overall evaluation of the GM Nation? public debate, and through this to the public policy conclusions to be drawn by the debate organisers, the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, the UK government and other interested stakeholders from the business, science policy and the NGO communities.
Contribution to the Science in Society Programme
The research contributes to the following ESRC Science in Society Programme themes. Science, Citizenship and Public Engagement: by contributing to the evaluation of the GM Nation? public debate, the research helps to draw important national and international lessons on the ways in which future deliberative exercises for science and technology issues might be run. The Governance of Science: the survey examines in some detail how people perceive the present level of commitment by the UK government to public debate and deliberation around science and technology issues.