To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered the potential merits of increasing the resources available to the National Bee Unit to support the (a) identification and (b) elimination of Asian hornet nests in 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered the potential merits of increasing the resources available to the National Bee Unit to support the (a) identification and (b) elimination of Asian hornet nests in 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether an assessment has been made by the National Bee Unit on the risks associated with queen bee inbreeding in commercial bee-keeping operations; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether an assessment has been made by the National Bee Unit on the risks associated with queen bee inbreeding in commercial bee-keeping operations; and if he will make a statement.

I am announcing today that Defra will

undertake a market sounding exercise to explore joint venture as a potential future business model for Defra’s Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).

Fera provides a range of important services to Government, with key capability in the areas of plant and bee health, and...

I am announcing today that Defra will

undertake a market sounding exercise to explore joint venture as a potential future business model for Defra’s Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).

Fera provides a range of important services to Government, with key capability in the areas of plant and bee health, and...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Benton. I congratulate my hon. Friend the hon. Member for

Truro and Falmouth (Sarah Newton) not only on securing a debate on an important subject, but on the balanced way that she presented her arguments.

A healthy bee population is crucial...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Benton. I congratulate my hon. Friend the hon. Member for

Truro and Falmouth (Sarah Newton) not only on securing a debate on an important subject, but on the balanced way that she presented her arguments.

A healthy bee population is crucial...

Lords debate on motion to take note of the decline in honey bees in 2012 and of measures to combat the prevalence of disease in bee colonies. Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the decline in honey bees in 2012 and of measures to combat the prevalence of disease in bee colonies. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, in preparing for this debate, I would like to place on record my thanks to Phil McAnespie, president of the Scottish Beekeepers Association; Dr Stephen Palmer, a master beekeeper with over 30 years’ experience; Professor Ratnieks from the University of Sussex; Professor Poppy and Dr Newman from the...

My Lords, in preparing for this debate, I would like to place on record my thanks to Phil McAnespie, president of the Scottish Beekeepers Association; Dr Stephen Palmer, a master beekeeper with over 30 years’ experience; Professor Ratnieks from the University of Sussex; Professor Poppy and Dr Newman from the...

My Lords, the House is extremely grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, for such a well informed and expert speech. A honey bee beekeeper is prized indeed in this kind of debate. My interest in bees goes back to the long, hot summer of 1976, when the Liberal candidate...

My Lords, the House is extremely grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, for such a well informed and expert speech. A honey bee beekeeper is prized indeed in this kind of debate. My interest in bees goes back to the long, hot summer of 1976, when the Liberal candidate...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Moynihan on returning to this important subject today and reminding us of the disease affecting our native honey bees, which is even more acute than it was when he had his debate in 2009. He spoke about the importance of biodiversity, which...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Moynihan on returning to this important subject today and reminding us of the disease affecting our native honey bees, which is even more acute than it was when he had his debate in 2009. He spoke about the importance of biodiversity, which...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, very much for giving us the opportunity to debate this important issue again, and for the very clear way in which he presented the wide extent of the problem. He emphasised the importance of honey bees as pollinators, as will all...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, very much for giving us the opportunity to debate this important issue again, and for the very clear way in which he presented the wide extent of the problem. He emphasised the importance of honey bees as pollinators, as will all...

My Lords, it is not all bad news for bees. It is truly paradoxical that at a time when, as my noble friend pointed out in his introductory and wide-ranging speech, there are so many major threats to the health of our honey bees, the number of people taking up...

My Lords, it is not all bad news for bees. It is truly paradoxical that at a time when, as my noble friend pointed out in his introductory and wide-ranging speech, there are so many major threats to the health of our honey bees, the number of people taking up...

Lord Jones of Cheltenham:

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, on his wonderful introduction to this debate, and the noble Lord, Lord Patten. I must get a lime tree from somewhere. I first became aware of the serious nature of the decline in the population of honeybees...

Lord Jones of Cheltenham:

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan, on his wonderful introduction to this debate, and the noble Lord, Lord Patten. I must get a lime tree from somewhere. I first became aware of the serious nature of the decline in the population of honeybees...

My Lords, one of the great privileges of being in your Lordships’ House is that when one speaks late in the list, one gets the feeling of being an outpatient at some form of university college hospital where you are bound to learn. You also get a dry feeling in...

My Lords, one of the great privileges of being in your Lordships’ House is that when one speaks late in the list, one gets the feeling of being an outpatient at some form of university college hospital where you are bound to learn. You also get a dry feeling in...

My Lords, I add my thanks and congratulations to my noble friend on having given us the chance to debate this important topic this afternoon. I am the eighth speaker on what is a fairly narrow subject so I will endeavour not to re-plough the ground that has already extensively...

My Lords, I add my thanks and congratulations to my noble friend on having given us the chance to debate this important topic this afternoon. I am the eighth speaker on what is a fairly narrow subject so I will endeavour not to re-plough the ground that has already extensively...

My Lords I apologise to the House that I am not my noble friend Lord Knight of Weymouth. I should have spoken earlier in the debate and I am sorry for the shock that that caused the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas, who had to come in early. My noble friend...

My Lords I apologise to the House that I am not my noble friend Lord Knight of Weymouth. I should have spoken earlier in the debate and I am sorry for the shock that that caused the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas, who had to come in early. My noble friend...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord

Moynihan for initiating this debate and for giving me this opportunity to highlight what the Government have been and are doing to improve honeybee health and to outline our future plans for this important area. I would like to thank all noble...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord

Moynihan for initiating this debate and for giving me this opportunity to highlight what the Government have been and are doing to improve honeybee health and to outline our future plans for this important area. I would like to thank all noble...

My Lords, it would be invidious and inappropriate for me to comment individually on the many contributions to this important debate. Suffice it to say that the quality of all contributions could not have been of a higher standard. We have achieved our collective objective, which is to provide the...

My Lords, it would be invidious and inappropriate for me to comment individually on the many contributions to this important debate. Suffice it to say that the quality of all contributions could not have been of a higher standard. We have achieved our collective objective, which is to provide the...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many bee experts are employed in (1) Natural England, (2) the Environment Agency, (3) the Forestry Commission, and (4) the National Bee Unit of the Food and Environment Research Agency; and how many are directly working to end the decline of wild bees.[HL3103]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many bee experts are employed in (1) Natural England, (2) the Environment Agency, (3) the Forestry Commission, and (4) the National Bee Unit of the Food and Environment Research Agency; and how many are directly working to end the decline of wild bees.[HL3103]

I. Letters dated 15/06/2011 from Baroness Hanham to various peers regarding Localism Bill - addressing queries raised at Lords 2nd reading. 50 p. II. Letter dated 20/06/2011 from Baroness Hanham to Baroness Sharples regarding oral question on honey-bees. 2 p.

I. Letters dated 15/06/2011 from Baroness Hanham to various peers regarding Localism Bill - addressing queries raised at Lords 2nd reading. 50 p. II. Letter dated 20/06/2011 from Baroness Hanham to Baroness Sharples regarding oral question on honey-bees. 2 p.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding she has allocated to the National Bee Unit to address recent trends in the bee population.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding she has allocated to the National Bee Unit to address recent trends in the bee population.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on the number of bee inspectors; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on the number of bee inspectors; and if she will make a statement.