Written question asked by Peter Duncan (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 May 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 May 2002. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 May 2002 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on steps being taken to prevent the spread of the Colorado beetle.

Answer: Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on steps being taken to prevent the spread of the Colorado beetle. [57558] Mr. Morley: The United Kingdom has protected zone status for Colorado beetle, making it an offence for the beetle to be moved into the country. To support this the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate in England and Wales and the similar inspectorates in Scotland and Northern Ireland inspect imports of plants and plant produce to ensure that the beetle, as well as many other pests and diseases, are not present. Added to this is the long-running campaign to promote and maintain a high level of public awareness of the beetle. This is instrumental in ensuring that members of the public, as well as importers and port operators, report findings of the beetle. These measures have all helped to prevent the Colorado beetle entering and establishing in the UK. Should an outbreak be detected, the Department has contingency plans to contain and eradicate the pest.

Secondary information