Henry Smith MP has given his support to campaigners looking for protection of bees in the UK, and has spoken out against proposed plans to temporarily lift a ban on bee-harming pesticides.
Henry said;
“I support the campaign to make sure the ban on bee-harming pesticides is kept in place.
“I’m grateful to Friends of the Earth for highlighting this issue – it was insightful to meet members of their campaign team in Parliament.
“Just before the event, I received an answer to my Written Question to the Environment Secretary on the National Pollinator Strategy, and will continue to discuss this issue with Ministers.”
Dave Timms, Bees Campaigner at Friends of the Earth added;
“Bees are crucial for our food and farming. The scientific evidence is growing all the time about the need to protect our much loved bees from these dangerous pesticides. It’s vital the Government keeps them out of our fields and gardens for good.”
The event follows Henry receiving a response to his Written Parliamentary Question on the National Pollinator Strategy.
Henry Smith, Member of Parliament for Crawley, asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP;
“To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how frequently her Department plans to update the National Pollinator Strategy.”
The Minister of State for Farming, Food and the Marine Environment, George Eustice MP, responded;
“The National Pollinator Strategy is a 10 year plan which sets out a framework for collective action to protect pollinators on farmland, towns, cities and the countryside, and to enhance the response to pests and disease risk. The Strategy also seeks to raise awareness of what pollinators need to thrive through a call to action message which sets out five simple actions that everyone can take to support pollinators (www.wildlifetrusts.org/Bees-needs).
“The Strategy is an important starting point and must be flexible, adapting to new data and understanding as this emerges. We will keep the Strategy under review, refreshing the aims by 2019 and identifying any necessary targets and additional policies to strengthen our response based on an improved understanding of the baselines, the impact of pressures and the role of pollinators. The review will also consider lessons learned from the initial policy actions and partnership working. We will coordinate the production of a one year progress report with key partners on implementation of the Strategy later this year.”
Henry Smith MP
Crawley Constituency
020 7219 7043
01293 934554
House of Commons
London, SW1A 0AA