Oral Answers to Questions

John Pugh Excerpts

Thursday 3rd February 2011 Commons Chamber

[John Pugh (Southport) (LD)]

10. What recent progress has been made on reducing the incidence of diseases in the bee population; and if she will make a statement.

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr James Paice)]

I am pleased to report that there has been a significant reduction in the number of colonies lost from all causes. For example, losses over the 2009-10 winter were 16%, compared with 30% in 2007-08, and cases of foulbrood disease have decreased steadily since 2008. It is clearly too early to know the results for the current winter, but I can tell the hon. Gentleman that the national bee unit has lost only two out of 180 units.

[John Pugh]

I thank the Minister for that response. The previous Government’s promises to fund research into bee diseases created a buzz of anticipation, so can I take it that the coalition have a proper plan “Bee”?

[Mr Paice]

The previous Government committed £4.3 million to research on bee health, as the hon. Gentleman rightly said, and I am happy to pay tribute to them for that. Of that sum, £2 million was for the insect pollinators initiative, and £2.3 million was for the healthy bees plan, and we hope that those resources will deliver results. I must say, however, that that was the result of a massive campaign by Back Benchers on both sides of the House, which forced the previous Government to commit those resources.