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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will extend the licence for production of oxalic acid api-bioxal in a manner that would encourage a wider variety of affordable anti-Varroa treatments in the beekeeping community.

There are two medicines authorised for use in the UK containing oxalic acid for treating Varroa in bees.

The decision on whether to develop and market a veterinary medicine is a commercial one for those pharmaceutical companies wishing to invest the necessary capital.

In order to extend or change a licence for a medicine, the pharmaceutical company marketing it must provide sufficient data in support of the change to demonstrate that the product will remain safe and effective.