Bees (Hansard, 1 July 2002)

§ Mr. Breed
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) notifications and (b) confirmations of specified diseases under the Bee Diseases Control Order 1982 there were in each region in each of the last 10 years. [63521]

§ Mr. Morley
There are three notifiable diseases specified under the Bee Diseases Control Order 1982—American foulbrood; European foulbrood; and Varroosis (varroa). All new suspected cases have to be reported, and in England investigations are carried out by the National Bee Unit (NBU). The numbers of notifications and confirmations of these diseases are set out in the table below by NBU region. Data for American and European foulbrood before 1994 is not available.
range of issues affecting the sector were discussed, including measures to control bee diseases. The Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit (NBU) also meets beekeepers regularly.
Most recently, the Department has received a number of written representations from beekeepers about financial burdens placed on Bee Diseases Insurance (BDI) Ltd. We welcome BDI's role in encouraging beekeepers in 51W England to play their part in the identification of notifiable diseases. However, the issue of payments by insurance companies is a matter for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and affiliated bodies. My officials have passed these representations to these organisations as appropriate.

§ Mr. Breed
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on bee(a) husbandry and (b) disease prevention by category in each of the last 10 years. [63524]

§ Mr. Morley
The Department assists the beekeeping sector in England by funding a range of measures to protect bee health. Under these measures, the national bee unit provides a free diagnostic and inspection service to the beekeeping sector as well as training and education to help beekeepers become more self reliant through improved bee husbandry. The Department also supports the beekeeping sector through strategic research into bee pests and diseases.
It is not possible to differentiate expenditure between bee husbandry and disease control. All fieldwork undertaken by the national bee unit is for the purpose of disease prevention and control. Departmental expenditure on R&D for the period 1992–93 to 2001–02 is set out in the table. Prior to 1994 the regional offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were responsible for bee disease control. In 1994 this work was centralised within the national bee unit and aggregated figures are not available for earlier years.

£

Expenditure under memorandum of understanding with Central Science Laboratory National Bee Unit R&D Expenditure Total Expenditure

1992–93 — 61,000 61,000

1993–94 — 140,000 140,000

1994–95 1,511,000 314,000 1,825,000

1995–96 1,534,000 259,000 1,793,000

1996–97 1,300,000 203,000 1,503,000

1997–98 1,300.000 215,000 1,515,000

1998–99 1,300,000 248,000 1,548,000

1999–2000 1,300,000 241,000 1,541,000

2000–01 1,300,000 226,000 1,526,000

2001–02 1,300,000 187,000 1,487,000

§ Mr. Breed
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many registered beekeepers there were in each region in each of the last 10 years. [63578]

§ Mr. Morley
There is no compulsory registration of beekeepers in England. The database held by the Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit, which is used to maintain records of statutory inspections, holds details of some 25,000 beekeepers.

Pollutant First produced Reviewed Next review

Benzene February 1994 by EPAQS EU Second Daughter Directive limit value to be adopted in 2002 Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2004

1,3-butadiene December 1994 by EPAQS EPAQS second report due to be published shortly

Carbon monoxide December 1994 by EPAQS EU Second Daughter Directive limit value to be adopted in 2002 Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2004

Lead May 1998 by EPAQS EU First Daughter Directive limit value adopted in 19 99 Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2003

£
	Expenditure under memorandum of understanding with Central Science Laboratory National Bee Unit	R&D Expenditure	Total Expenditure
1992–93	—	61,000	61,000
1993–94	—	140,000	140,000
1994–95	1,511,000	314,000	1,825,000
1995–96	1,534,000	259,000	1,793,000
1996–97	1,300,000	203,000	1,503,000
1997–98	1,300.000	215,000	1,515,000
1998–99	1,300,000	248,000	1,548,000
1999–2000	1,300,000	241,000	1,541,000
2000–01	1,300,000	226,000	1,526,000
2001–02	1,300,000	187,000	1,487,000

Pollutant	First produced	Reviewed	Next review
Benzene	February 1994 by EPAQS	EU Second Daughter Directive limit value to be adopted in 2002	Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2004
1,3-butadiene	December 1994 by EPAQS	EPAQS second report due to be published shortly
Carbon monoxide	December 1994 by EPAQS	EU Second Daughter Directive limit value to be adopted in 2002	Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2004
Lead	May 1998 by EPAQS	EU First Daughter Directive limit value adopted in 19 99	Daughter Directive requires the European Commission to report by 2003