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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of recent analysis from the International Union for Conservation of Nature Taskforce on Systemic Pesticides, which concluded that neonicotinoids and fipronil pose serious risks to a wide range of pollinating insects and other wildlife, they support the restoration of use of these products when the EU moratorium expires.

The analysis has not yet been published in full, but a preliminary assessment by the Health and Safety Executive's Chemicals Regulation Directorate of the information which is available did not identify any new factors concerning the potential effects of those substances. The European Commission is expected to commence a review in 2015 of the current European Union restrictions on three neonicotinoid active substances and fipronil. We will determine our position in light of the relevant scientific information which is available at that time.