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 is taking to ensure that the decision-making process on whether to grant conditional emergency authorisation to use a product containing neonicotinoids includes an assessment of the potential impact of those neonicotinoids on butterflies.

Decisions on emergency authorisation applications must be taken in line with legal requirements. In making these decisions, Ministers take full account of the available evidence and expert advice, including on risks to pollinating insects.

The Government will honour its manifesto commitment on this topic.