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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the effect on the internal market in Wales of the UK Government decision to grant authorisation for use of a product containing a neonicotinoid to treat sugar beet seed in England.

The application for emergency authorisation of the neonicotinoid product Cruiser SB was made in respect of use in England only as there is no significant commercial sugar beet production elsewhere in the UK. It is not anticipated that the decision will have any impact on the competitiveness of goods from different parts of the UK or on consumer choice. Defra has not had any discussions with the Welsh Government on internal market effects of the decision.

Officials of the Welsh Government have been sighted on the Cruiser SB application and the decision. They have not flagged to Defra any issues about internal market implications of this application.