HC Deb 18 July 2002 vol 389 c489W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the work done by Bee Disease Insurance Limited to prevent the outbreak of harmful diseases among honey bees. [70451]

Mr. Morley

Insurance against the loss of colonies and equipment as a result of infection with notifiable bee diseases is a valuable tool in disease control. The Department welcomes the work of Bee Diseases Insurance Ltd. which serves to encourage beekeepers in England to play their part in the identification of notifiable diseases, and to bring any suspected incidents of these to the attention of the Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit.