Written question asked by Bill Wiggin (Conservative) on Tuesday, 24 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 June 2008. It was answered by Jonathan Shaw (Labour) on Thursday, 3 July 2008 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bees: Disease Control

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the German government on its decision to ban a number of seed treatments suspected to have caused the deaths of beehives; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 June 2008, Official Report, column 797W.Further detailed discussions between Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) officials and the German authorities have taken place recently. The German authorities gave an update on their situation and confirmed that they had re-instated the approvals of four products for use as seed treatments for oilseed rape. Meanwhile the authorisations for use of four products for use on maize seed remain suspended.Investigations by the German authorities have indicated that the cause of the bee deaths was as a result of a combination of factors: poor maize seed treatment without the use of an appropriate sticker to hold the pesticide on the seed; the use of the high dose (62 g active substance per 50,000 seeds) for control of western corn rootworm in a period of high infestation; the use of poorly maintained pneumatic seed drills which allowed the release of dust laden with the pesticide; and the timing of drilling which coincided with the flowering period of neighbouring oilseed rape crops. The authorities are continuing their investigations to re-assess the four products and if appropriate to modify the corresponding authorisations.Officials at PSD and the Central Science Laboratory are closely monitoring the situation in the UK and will of course act immediately should there be confirmed evidence of a problem in bee colonies in the UK.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 214492; 478 c1075-6W
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Pesticides
Monday, 14 July 2008
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Disease control Bees
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk