Neonicotinoids

(asked on 15th April 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason an emergency authorisation for the use of neonicotinoids on sugar beet was approved.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 23rd April 2021

Defra applies the precautionary principle to pesticides policy. That is why, for example, we supported a ban on the use of neonicotinoids to treat crops including sugar beet in 2018 and removed the general authorisation for its use. However, we can consider applications for emergency authorisations, just as other countries across Europe continue to do. In fact, ten EU countries have repeatedly granted emergency authorisations for use of the withdrawn neonicotinoids in sugar beet.  Emergency authorisation was granted for the use of a neonicotinoid seed treatment this year to address a potentially serious risk to the sugar beet crop.

We will only grant an emergency authorisation where the relevant statutory requirements are met. In particular, that is where use of the product is necessary because of a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means and any potential risks to humans, animals and the environment (including risks to bees and other pollinators) are considered to be acceptably low.

The product will not now be used on the crop because disease levels were forecast to be below a threshold set as a condition of authorisation.

The reasons for the decision to issue this emergency authorisation for the product Cruiser SB were set out in the Statement on the decision to issue – with strict conditions – emergency authorisation to use a product containing a neonicotinoid to treat sugar beet seed in 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

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