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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of glyphosate on biodiversity.

The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment.

All active substances, including glyphosate, are subject to a scientific risk assessment, drawing on expert advice from the Health and Safety Executive and the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. This includes an assessment of the toxicity to species that are not the target of the pesticide, such as invertebrates, mammals, birds, and aquatic animals. Pesticides that pose unacceptable risks are not authorised.