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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies the Government has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned on the effects of pesticides on honeybee mortality.

Pesticides are authorised for sale and use only if effects on non-target species, including honeybees, are not unacceptable.

The Government has, over a number of years, commissioned broader research on the effects of pesticides on honeybees. Details of all Defra research can be found at http://randd.defra.gov.uk/

Current Defra research projects include:

• · PS2370 Interpretation of pesticide residues in honeybees
• · PS2374 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) of the effects of pesticides on foraging bees
• · PS2376 Evaluation of procedures to improve estimates of exposure of pollinators to neonicotinoid insecticides

In addition, one of the nine projects being carried out under the Insect Pollinators Initiative (which is part-funded by Defra) is An investigation into the synergistic impact of sub-lethal exposure to industrial chemicals on the learning capacity and performance of bees.

Research needs in this area are kept under active consideration.