Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Bee-killing Pesticides

01 February 2023 · 11 other contributors · 10,236 words

Opened by Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

Responding minister: Mark Spencer

Agriculture & Rural AffairsEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Luke Pollard raised concerns about bee-killing pesticides in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The hon. Member for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport raised concerns about the use of Cruiser SB containing thiamethoxam, a bee-killing pesticide.
  • The Member asked the Government to reverse the decision to authorise Cruiser SB and to support sugar beet farmers with alternative pest control measures.
  • The Minister responded by noting that the emergency authorisation for Cruiser SB includes strict thresholds set by Rothamsted Research to protect sugar beet crops.

Key requests to Government

The hon. Member asks the Government to reverse their decision to authorise Cruiser SB, provide more support for sugar beet farmers through alternative pest control measures, conduct comprehensive studies on environmental impacts, and report on the sustainable farming incentive's effectiveness in reducing neonicotinoid use. Additionally, he proposes that future authorisations of bee-killing pesticides should be subject to a parliamentary vote.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

The hon. Member for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport is concerned about the use of bee-killing pesticides, particularly Cruiser SB containing thiamethoxam, which has been authorised by the Government despite concerns from scientific bodies. The authorisation, granted three years in a row now, contradicts the commitment to follow scientific evidence on neonicotinoids' harmful effects on bees and pollinators. One teaspoon of thiamethoxam is powerful enough to kill 1.25 billion honeybees, according to Professor Dave Goulson at the University of Sussex. The decline in bee populations has led to concerns about food security and biodiversity, with up to three quarters of global crops relying on bees for pollination.

Other contributors (11)
  • Afzal Khan Lab Manchester Rusholme

    Bees play an essential role in Manchester's ecosystem and food production. Supporting bees and pollinators in urban areas is important for local food sourcing.

  • Caroline Lucas Green Brighton, Pavilion

    The Government have said they want to put nature friendliness at the heart of their policies in their environmental improvement plan. However, this is not coherent with recent decisions on bee-killing pesticides. The inconsistency needs addressing. The environment is declining alarmingly due to pesticides like neonicotinoids, which have been banned but are still being approved for use in England. The committee advises against this, as it poses a risk to bees and other pollinators despite sugar beet not flowering. Noted a 50% or more loss of insects since 1970 and questioned how the precautionary principle was applied to the decision on mitigating risks to bees.

  • Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge

    Mr Zeichner criticised the Government for issuing an emergency authorisation to allow the use of Cruiser SB, which contains thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid harmful to bees and other pollinators. He highlighted that this decision goes against scientific advice from the Government's expert committee on pesticides and Health and Safety Executive, making the UK stand out with lower standards than its neighbours. Inquired about an assessment of the success of mitigation measures adopted in previous years regarding bee-killing pesticides.

  • Duncan Baker Con North Norfolk

    The science behind the derogation should be carefully considered given that East Anglia and North Norfolk have a large population farming sugar beet. Glyphosate, another harmful product for both humans and biodiversity, is also in question for its use. The EU plans to ban glyphosate later this year; the hon. Gentleman suggests bringing forward the ban from 2025.

  • Grahame Morris Lab Co-op Easington

    The hon. Member for Easington raised concerns about the impact of neonicotinoids and glyphosate on human health, highlighting that imported food from countries using these chemicals could contribute to their presence in the UK food chain.

  • Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East

    Pollinator corridors should be created in cities and councils supported to prevent the use of pesticides that damage pollinators' health. This is important for focusing on agricultural use, but also addresses urban pesticide issues.

  • Kevin Foster Con Torbay

    The benefits of pollinator corridors are mentioned, but Torbay's wild flower garden was extremely popular with tourists and visitors.

  • Margaret Ferrier SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West

    The European Court of Justice ruled that the use of bee-killing pesticides is not acceptable, even under emergency exemptions for sugar beet crops. France has decided not to grant such exemptions this year but the UK Government have. The economic value of pollination to UK crop production is approximately £500 million a year. Asked the hon. Member to give way and highlighted the Cambuslang apiary project in her constituency, which does incredible conservation work for bee pollination and populations.

  • Margaret Greenwood Lab Wirral West

    Ms Greenwood criticised the Government's decision to approve Cruiser SB, which contains a neonicotinoid, despite warnings from experts that it poses risks to bees. She highlighted concerns expressed by constituents and noted the contradiction with recent pesticide reduction targets agreed at COP15. Ms Greenwood asked for clarification on alternative options considered before approving the use of Cruiser SB.

  • Patricia Gibson SNP North Ayrshire and Arran

    She expressed concern about the decline of bee populations due to toxic pesticides, highlighting that up to three-quarters of crop species are pollinated by bees. She noted that while Scotland has launched a Pollinator Strategy for Scotland 2017-2027, the UK Government lacks urgency on this issue and continues to authorise harmful pesticides despite EU bans. Gibson called for a total ban on bee-killing pesticides and urged the Minister to follow the Scottish Government's example in protecting pollinators.

  • Samantha Dixon Lab Chester North and Neston

    Ms Dixon expressed concern over the Government's decision to lift the ban on neonicotinoids, arguing it goes against expert advice and endangers threatened bee species in her constituency. She proposed a science-led approach that supports farmers while protecting biodiversity. Asked on 1 March whether the decision will be made by the Minister or others, and if so, who.

Government Response

Mark Spencer

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Nokes. I congratulate the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport on securing this debate and welcome the hon. Member for City of Chester to her first Westminster Hall debate. The emergency authorisation for Cruiser SB has been issued with strict thresholds set by Rothamsted Research to protect sugar beet crops from virus yellows, which can reduce overall yield by up to 50%. In 2021, no neonicotinoid-treated seeds were used due to the model's prediction. The decision is based on robust assessment of environmental and economic risks, including advice from DEFRA's chief scientific adviser and the UK expert committee on pesticides. We are developing alternatives, such as resistant plant varieties and yellows virus-specific integrated pest management techniques, and have introduced new environmental land management schemes to reward farmers for sustainable practices. The Government will balance factors like scientific advice and the precautionary principle in making decisions. We aim to minimise pesticide use through paid integrated pest management actions, encouraging natural methods of pest control such as flower-rich grass margins or field strips.

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