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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to protect bees from the effects of toxic pesticides.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issue authorisations which enable pesticides to be advertised, sold, supplied, stored and used. Following a thorough risk assessment, HSE imposes conditions on the way products are used to ensure there is no harm to human health or unacceptable effects on the environment. The assessment considers risks to bees.