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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that future bans on the use of pesticides are based on scientific research; and if he will make a statement.

The Government’s priority is to protect people and the environment, and pesticides are only authorised if scientific evidence shows that they will not harm human health or have unacceptable effects on the environment.

We carry out a thorough assessment of the scientific evidence, drawing on advice from scientists in the Health and Safety Executive and the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. Regulatory decisions are regularly reviewed so that safety can be reassessed using the latest data and scientific knowledge.

Decisions on the use of pesticides will continue to be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks and we will ensure that the regulation of pesticides continues to be robust and fit for purpose as our scientific knowledge develops.