PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Oilseed Rape: Neonicotinoids (4 September 2015)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether in the case of the use of the derogation agreed between the EU and the UK Government allowing the use of neonicotinoid seed dressings on oilseed rape seed in limited areas she will require those farmers making use of the derogation to take other measures, such as lengthening the time between oilseed rape crops before they carry out insecticidal seed dressings, as required under EU Directive 2009/128/EC on establishing a framework for community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

Directive 2009/128/EC requires Member States to promote low pesticide-input pest management. To this end, the Directive sets out a number of general principles of integrated pest management, including crop rotation. Crop rotation is a normal farming management practice. Changes to rotations cannot normally be made rapidly.

The recent emergency authorisations for use of two neonicotinoid seed treatments were granted following expert advice that this use was limited and controlled, was subject to stewardship arrangements, and was necessary because of a danger which could not be contained by any other reasonable means. In reaching this view, experts considered non-chemical means of control, including crop rotation. The conditions of authorisation include a requirement that treated seed can only be used in a given field on the basis of a recommendation from a qualified agronomist.

Answered by:
George Eustice (Conservative)
9 September 2015