Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the sugar industry since his decision to authorise the use of neonicotinoid pesticides for sugar beet crop.
The Government announced on 14 January that it would issue, with strict conditions, an emergency authorisation to use a neonicotinoid seed treatment for sugar beet crops in England. Since then, Defra Ministers have met with representatives of the sugar industry at a Parliamentary reception and at the NFU conference. Discussions included work to end the sector’s reliance on neonicotinoids.