To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the latest evidence of the harm to bees from certain pesticides; and whether, in the light of such evidence, they plan to reject the emergency authorisation for use of neonicotinoids this autumn and press for the current restrictions to be made permanent and expanded to cover all crops.
Answered on
8 July 2015
Decisions on the approval of pesticide active substances are made at European level. Since December 2013, three of the five neonicotinoids currently approved are not permitted for use on a wide range of crops considered “attractive to bees”. A number of other uses remain permitted under the EU approval. The restrictions currently in place for neonicotinoids are not time-limited. They will remain in place until and unless the European Commission decides to change them.
The Commission has begun a review of the science relating to neonicotinoids and bees. This will include effects on bees from seed treatment and granule uses of the restricted neonicotinoids on any crop. The Government will contribute fully to this review and will base its view on future regulation of neonicotinoids on all the available scientific evidence.
EU legislation allows Member States to consider applications for the authorisation of products to deal with emergency situations that are temporary, limited in scale and controlled.