To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on bee health. (261797)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: There have been no discussions in recent years at a ministerial level on the problems affecting bee health. At official level DEFRA is working closely with other EU member states and has been in regular contact with our United States counterparts about colony collapse disorder. Members of the National Bee Unit are involved in an EU Consortium of Bee Researchers, COLOSS, which has been established to facilitate the exchange of information about abnormal colony losses and a project funded by the European Food Standards Agency which is collecting data from bee surveillance programmes currently run by EU member states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the details of the new bee health research programme to consider the wider problems facing pollinators to be finalised; and if he will make a statement. (262067)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: Negotiations with other potential funders are still continuing but we hope to conclude these in the next few weeks. Details of the programme will be published on the DEFRA website once these have been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the international trade in honeybees on the spread of pests and diseases in the UK bee population. (262070)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: International trade in honeybees poses a risk of movements of pests and diseases. Consequently, imports are only allowed from a limited list of non-EC countries. Imports of honeybees into the UK are controlled by EC legislation which includes a requirement for each consignment to be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the relevant authorities in the exporting country. Imports from countries outside the Community are also subject to post import controls aimed at reducing the risk of introduction and spread of exotic bee pests, in particular, the small hive beetle and tropilaelaps mites, both of which are notifiable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff of the National Bee Unit were responsible for research into bee health in each of the last 10 years. (262072)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: The information is not available in the form requested. Depending on the project, bee health research can involve any of the staff in the National Bee Unit, the bee inspectors and a range of researchers from various other disciplines within the Central Science Laboratory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many seasonal bee inspectors were employed by the National Bee Unit in each of the last 10 years. (262073)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: The number of seasonal bee inspectors employed by the National Bee Unit in each year since 1998 is set out in the following table: