Beekeeping: Research Mr. Todd To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects on beekeeping have been funded by his Department in the last five years; what bids for funding for such research projects his Department has not accepted during that period; and if he will make a statement. Jonathan Shaw The following projects have been funded by DEFRA in the last five years. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Project |From|To |Cost (£)| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH0817THB: The control of exotic bee diseases and their likely interactions with UK conditions |2001|2004|330,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH0819SHB: Fungal control of Varroa jacobsoni (destructor) |2002|2006|383,802 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH3126SHB: Evaluation of TaqMan real-time PCR for detection of Aethina tumida (Small Hive Beetle) |2005|2005|14,348 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH3223SHB: Minimisation of oxytetracycline levels in honey after antibiotic treatment |2003|2004|25,000 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH3234SHB: Optimisation of detection methods for Melissococcus plutonius (European foulbrood, EFB) |2005|2005|10,101 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH3235SHB: Honey bee virus detection and discrimination |2005|2005|25,233 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |HH3815SHB: A promotional publication summarising the DEFRA Bee Health Research and Development activity over 10 years |2004|2005|9,920 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PH0410: The taxonomy of UK and exotic honey bee viruses: a molecular approach (PhD Fellowship) |2007|2010|81,248 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PH0502: Assessing the effectiveness of the shook swarm method for controlling European Foul Brood |2006|2008|185,393 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PH0503: Development of a monitoring system for the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Murray) |2006|2008|225,772 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PN0936: The effects of endocrine disrupters on honeybee populations |2001|2004|86,148 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PN0945: Assessing the impact of mixtures of pyrethroids and fungicides on honeybees |2001|2004|55,718 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |PS2322: Assessment of the risk posed to honeybees by systemic pesticides |2005|2007|46,104 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |VM02140: Investigation of the fate of veterinary drugs used in apiculture |2004|2007|180,589 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |VM02156: Investigation into the experimental protocols required to determine Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in honey: Preliminary study using organic acids as model compounds to propose ways in which withdrawal times might be calculated|2007|2010|287,083 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We do not have full records of bids that were not funded in the last five years. With respect to the last two years, there was a bid for a three-year project to develop management strategies for small hive beetle which was not funded although a shorter project to develop a monitoring system for small hive beetle is ongoing. There was also an outline proposal but no formal bid for a project to build upon previous DEFRA funded work to develop a biological control product for the varroa mite. This project is still being discussed; a decision has yet to be made about whether this work will be funded.