Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 22 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Thursday, 25 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Pollinators: Conservation

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to protect (a) bees and (b) other pollinators.

Answer: Defra protects honeybee health through delivery of the Healthy Bees Plan 2030, and measures to monitor and manage bee pest and disease risks. We will produce a refreshed Pollinator Action Plan as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan and coordinate Bees’ Needs Week (BNW) and the Bees’ Needs Champions Awards to support pollinators. Defra helps fund the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme which tracks changes in pollinator numbers, including abundance of bees, hoverflies and other flower-visiting insects. This data contributes to measuring trends in pollinator populations to target conservation efforts.

Secondary information