To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the technical informationn on bee diseases supplied by S. L. Kidman, honorary secretary of the Cheshire Beekeepers' Association, in relation to bee diseases.

I received from the hon. Member on 17 June, a letter from Mr. Kidman commenting on possible chemical treatments for varroa in bees. This is receiving attention and I shall be replying shortly.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 2 June, Official Report, column 424, for which veterinary medicines approval is being expedited for the control of varroasis.

A licence application for a product containing flumethrin has been received and is currently being assessed against the Medicines Act criteria of safety, quality and efficacy.