§ Mr. Hendersonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many queen bees (a) of the Brother Adam type, and (b) of other types have been imported into Great Britain (i) from Israel and (ii) from elsewhere, by country, in the past 12 months; what health checks are carried out on the import of such bees; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerImports of queen bees into the United Kingdom in 1983 were as follows:
88W
number Israel 1,434 New Zealand 836 United States of America 3,358 Total 5,628 Separate records are not kept as to the types of queen bees imported.
The Importation of Bees Order 1980, which applies to Great Britain, prohibits the importation of bees except under licence. Imports are restricted to queen bees—with the necessary attendant workers—from countries with a high bee health status, subject to licences which are issued to individual importers for a particular consignment or consignments, from a specified country. In particular, licences are not issued for imports from countries where the varroa mite has been found. A health certificate is required for each consignment of bees and it is a condition of the licence that the attendant worker bees are sent immediately to a Government laboratory for microscopic examination for disease. The importer is required to keep a record of disposal of imported queen bees.
Similar arrangements apply under the Importation of Bees Order (Northern Ireland) 1980 in respect of imports of bees into Northern Ireland.