As someone who has led a debate in Parliament on the need to protect bees and has been a long-standing member of the APPG on Bees before becoming a minister, anything which might impact upon their wellbeing is something that is close to my heart. I am assured that the derogation regarding thiamethoxam is a temporary and emergency authorisation in response to the danger posed to the 2021 sugar beet crop from beet yellows virus.
Emergency authorisations are also used by countries across Europe. I know that ten EU countries including Belgium, Denmark and Spain have granted emergency authorisations for seed treatments since 2018. Under EU legislation, Member States may grant emergency authorisations in exceptional circumstances. Accordingly, the UK’s approach to the use of emergency authorisations has not changed as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU.
The application for the use of Syngenta’s Cruiser SB on the 2021 sugar beet crop is for England only. Furthermore, sugar beet is a non-flowering crop that is only grown in the East of England.
This exceptional use of Syngenta’s Cruiser SB will be strictly controlled and conditions of the authorisation include reduced application rate as well as a prohibition on any flowering crop being planted in the same field where the product has been used within 22 months of sugar beet and a prohibition on oilseed rape being planted within 32 months of sugar beet.
Protecting pollinators remains a priority for the Government. I am pleased that from 2013 onwards, there is evidence of an overall increase in the distribution of bee species.
The National Pollinator Strategy, published in 2014, is a ten-year plan which sets out how the Government, conservation groups, farmers, beekeepers and researchers can work together to improve the status of the approximately 1,500 pollinating insect species in England.
