§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government have taken to tackle the varroa mite; and what estimate she has made of its prevalence in England. [42377]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government assist the UK beekeeping sector to deal with bee health issues, in particular varroa, through programmes costing around £1.6 million in 2001–02. Under these measures, the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Central Science Laboratory, provides a free diagnostic and inspection service to beekeepers in England as well as training and advice (including various publications, lectures, workshops and demonstrations) to help them become more self-reliant through improved bee husbandry. Training and guidance is regularly updated to reflect the latest research findings. The NBU also carries out routine screening for varroa resistant to authorised treatments.
Varroa is widely distributed in England. At least 5,000 infested apiaries have been confirmed since 1992, when the mite was first confirmed in the UK.