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The example of the BSE (or Mad Cow Disease) saga demonstrated that an initial investment of some £20 million pounds in the mid-1980s, to eradicate BSE infected material from the UK’s herds and feed chain, would have avoided the UK government subsequently incurring costs of some £20 billions in the aftermath of the admission in March 1996 that meat from infected cattle was causing cases on new-vari. [...] Therefore we have assumed the continued integrity of the UK’s internal market and responded on the basis of the decisions facing the UK. [...] Whilst individual instances of gene editing may not, on their own, affect the “risk of harm to human health or the environment”, the potential for rapid and widespread use of gene editing in the UK and internationally increases uncertainties and limits our ability to foresee or to manage risks, should they appear. [...] The specific effects will depend on the type of …