Edinburgh University was this week fined Pounds 3,500 for failing to carry out risk assessments of work involving genetic modification being carried out in the medical school's departments of biochemistry and physiology. This is the first prosecution of its kind in Britain. A university spokeswoman said: "It is as unacceptable to the university as to the Health and Safety Executive that there was a technical breach of regulations. Our procedures have been reinforced to ensure it does not happen again."