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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received from scientists and other experts on the use of neonicotinoids and their effect on the bee population.

Defra has not received recent expert representations on this issue. However we do consider new studies on neonicotinoids carefully, taking advice from the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides, Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser and experts in the Chemicals Regulation Division within the Health and Safety Executive.