Chris Davies (ALDE). - Madam President, this debate is really about whether you think GMOs are dangerous or evil, and of course about those who are attempting to use this legislation to gain a financial advantage over their competitors.

I am sure there are some people who think there are important issues of principle here, but when principles are tested in this way, they start to look ridiculous. If pollen is an ingredient in honey, then surely it must be added artificially. Someone must be adding it – and the finger of blame must be pointed at the bees.

The Greens would have us believe that these are bad bees, criminal bees, deliberately contaminating honey with a dangerous ingredient, but in fact they are doing what honey bees have always done, which is to carry pollen back to their hives to feed their young. And in those hives, the pollen – whether it has come from GMOs or not – is perfectly harmless, according to the European Food Safety Authority. Naturally it gets into the honey, so they are good bees doing good work, and the Greens should lay off them.