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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding the Government has given to the National Bee Unit for the current financial year; how many bee inspectors there are; what estimate has been made of the number of bees under serious threat from the varroa mite; and what advice and assistance is given by the National Bee Unit to beekeepers in the South West. [194159] Alun Michael: In the current financial year the National Bee Unit will receive funding of £1,235,000 from Defra and £283,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government. There are 45 bee inspectors in England and Wales of whom 36 are part-time, seasonal bee inspectors. It is estimated that there are 250,000 honey bee colonies in England and Wales, maintained by some 37,000 beekeepers. Since varroa is now endemic throughout almost the whole of the United Kingdom, its presence is a challenge to all beekeepers but this can be managed through good bee husbandry. In addition to the statutory inspection programme, which has given rise to over 900 visits and the inspection of almost 4,000 colonies in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset between April and September 2004, the NBU provides laboratory diagnoses, the destruction or treatment of colonies infected with European Foul Brood, and a testing programme for varroa resistance to treatment with pyrethroids. Over 2,500 beekeepers attended advisory lectures, field demonstrations and liaison meetings provided by NBU in the South West in 2003-04. Beekeepers in the region also have access to a national telephone help-line, advisory leaflets and the NBU website.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

426 c576W; 194159

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Inspections Beekeeping Subsidies South West

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk