Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department are taking to promote bee keeping by (a) farmers and (b) landowners in rural areas.

We promote beekeeping through educational and training events held across England. Our National Bee Unit’s bee inspectors provide free training and educational materials on how to manage bee pests and diseases either at the hive-side, at events or through its website, Beebase. We also co-fund beekeeping association teaching programmes on bee husbandry and the apprenticeship scheme led by the Bee Farmers Association, which aims to increase the number of young professional beekeepers. This support is available to all who wish to take up beekeeping including farmers and landowners.