§ Mr. Spellerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent the spread into the United Kingdom of the disease varroasis of bees.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonImports of bees into the United Kingdom are strictly controlled by licence. Licences are issued only for queen bees, with attendant workers, from countries with a high bee health status. They are not issued for imports coming from countries where varroasis is known to exist. It is a condition of the licence that the consignment must be accompanied by a certificate of health from the country of origin and that the attendant workers must be sent to my Department's bee unit at Luddington for post mortem examination.
§ Mr. Spellerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the varroasis of bees posters issued by his Department are displayed at all ports; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonMy Department has circulated to port authorities a poster headed "Foreign Bees Keep Out". This poster publicises the dangers of the bee disease varroasis. Port authorities were asked to display it in places where it will be seen by port workers, seamen and lorry drivers.
The prominence which ports give to these posters is a matter for them in the light of other priorities but my Department does remind them from time to time of the importance of keeping out varroasis.