I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release cited in his sixteen questions, and to the Darwin Initiative website, which provides further information on the project. This includes its costs and outcomes, and explains why the UK has been funding projects such as this under successive governments since 1993.

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

Defra advises beekeepers that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. It is possible for experienced beekeepers to safely manage bees in a garden area, although usual practice is to site them well away from neighbours and fence colonies in with a hedge or panelled fencing - this encourages bees to fly higher, above the heads of anyone nearby.

Ensuring public safety is of great importance to Defra and beekeeping groups. Defra and representatives of the beekeeping sector work closely to raise awareness of the safety measures that should be in place during hive management.

Beekeepers generally keep their bees on their property and away from areas that are accessible to the public. Defra advises beekeepers that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. Bees can be encouraged to fly above potential hazard areas by having high walls or hedges around an apiary to minimise interaction between bees and neighbours or farm animals. When Inspectors from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit carry out hive inspections, they follow specific procedures and have a Risk Assessment that provides guidance, considerations, and control measures with regards to public health.

Defra provides guidance to beekeepers advising that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. Beekeeping groups also encourage beekeepers to work with their bees in such a way that risks to the general public are kept to a minimum.

In 2024 the annual Hive Count exercise produced a figure of 252, 647 honey bee colonies in the UK which indicates that there continues to be interest in keeping bees. There are over 52,700 beekeepers in England, Wales and Scotland registered on BeeBase, the voluntary register managed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU). Defra encourages all beekeepers to have good husbandry skills, including recognition of pests and disease and husbandry practices which can minimise the risk of introducing and spreading disease within an apiary.

Our annual Hive Count exercise indicates that as of October 2022 there were 48,130 beekeepers in England and Wales registered on BeeBase – the National Bee Unit’s website.

On 6 July 2021, the number of current registered beekeepers on BeeBase is as follows:

England – 39475

Wales – 3706

Scotland – 2883

Northern Ireland - does not use BeeBase

Registration for beekeepers on BeeBase is not compulsory and therefore some beekeepers will choose not to sign up. The number registered, therefore, will be lower than the actual number of beekeepers.

Beekeeping can be very enjoyable and rewarding. However, beekeepers have a duty of care to look after their bees properly, so we recommend that anyone thinking about keeping bees gets advice from different sources including BeeBase, the National Bee Unit's website. BeeBase is designed for beekeepers, supports the Defra Bee Health Programme, and provides a wide range of information including how to keep colonies healthy and productive as well as honey bee related legislation.

People thinking about taking up beekeeping may also wish to contact their local beekeeping association who will be able to provide other information, including on any training courses that they offer. We would also recommend visiting an apiary, which the association may help to arrange. The association may also be able to advise about how many beekeepers there are in the area and whether there is likely to be sufficient forage for all the pollinators.

Research also highlights the importance of urban gardens and other green spaces in supporting wild bees and other pollinating insects, including bumble and solitary bees. Through the National Pollinator Strategy, we work with public, private and voluntary sector partners to develop advice and encourage everyone to support a range of insect species, by planting flowers, managing land appropriately or providing bug hotels in window boxes, gardens and other private and public spaces. The Defra-coordinated Bees' Needs Week promotes and celebrates such action. This year's campaign runs from 12 to 18 July.