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Written question asked by Phyllis Starkey (Labour) on Wednesday, 24 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 October 2007. It was answered by Jonathan Shaw (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bees: Diseases

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much funding his Department provided to support research on bee diseases in each of the last five years; what proportion was to the National Bee Unit; and whether other government departments fund bee research;
Answer

Expenditure on the National Bee Unit (NBU), which includes the Bee Health Inspection and Advisory Service, by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government is as follows:

Financial year expenditure (£)
2003-04 1,518,000
2004-05 1,518,000
2005-06 1,518,000
2006-07 1,518,000
2007-08 1,518,000

These figures do not include any expenditure on specific research projects, although some of the NBU's activity is in support of research initiatives. DEFRA's annual expenditure on bee health research has averaged around £210,000 since 2001.There is an ongoing review of expenditure on all DEFRA programmes, including bee health. Future funding will need to be considered alongside the full range of priorities facing the Department but we will not take decisions that could compromise biosecurity and the sustainability of bee health in England.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
161625; 465 c1089W
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Diseases Beekeeping Bees
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk