Many local residents have contacted me urging protection for bees. I agree that this is an important issue and it is crucial that we get this right. This is why I have joined and became a Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Bees. This group will continue to work with the Government to make sure that bees are given the relevant protection.
I entirely agree with you that bees and other pollinators play a vital role in the security of our food supply and the quality of our natural environment. This is especially important in areas such as Dorset. I believe that the Government has been working hard to better understand the impact on bees and ensure that we do more to improve the bee population that we cannot do without.
The European Food Safety Authority has begun a review of the science relating to neonicotinoids and bees, which is expected to conclude in the summer. This includes looking at the effects on bees caused by seed treatments, and uses of the restricted pesticides in the form of granules. The Government has said that it will contribute fully to this review, because any decisions must be based on solid evidence.
EU legislation also sets out rules for authorising the use of products that are normally restricted in emergency situations to protect crops. I am aware that the Government has received applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid seed treatments for use on oilseed rape, and these applications are currently being assessed.
Rest assured that restrictions on neonicotinoids will not be removed if the evidence shows that they should remain.