Katrina’s Letter to Sir Oliver Heald, Conservative MP for North East Herts
“Dear Sir Oliver,
The same is happening as last year undermining efforts to help our bees and wildlife.
Again, this government has allowed neonicotinoid use as an exemption. This really doesn't stack up with the government's commitment to being a party wishing to take urgent action against biodiversity loss, climate change
It's very disappointing and demoralising and as a founder member of the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) I wonder what your defence of such measures is?
We are in a climate and biodiversity emergency - please never forget this!!
This is a quote from Pesticide Action Network (PAN) who campaigned with widespread support from environmental organisations against a similar derogation in 2021 (and 2020):
"Approving derogations for pesticides with the potential to cause great harm on what seems to be becoming an annual rolling basis completely undermines recent government commitments to pesticide reduction and Integrated Pest Management (an approach to managing pests, weeds and diseases in which pesticides are used as a last resort, if at all). Rather than take the lazy option of a derogation that could potentially harm a range of important and hard-pressed insect species, the UK Government and sugar industry should be investing in supporting growers to transition to alternative non-chemical control measures. Despite being fully aware of the potential issue since January 2020, inaction has meant that the sugar industry continues to rely on supposedly banned pesticides instead of ramping up efforts to find more sustainable alternatives."*
Please would you attend the debate on Wednesday** and voice concerns about how allowing neonics an exemption, however short it may be, will have a huge impact on biodiversity which we humans need to protect not destroy.
Would you also ask please how this fits in with the government's plan for sustainable farming?
Many thanks
Katrina Nice”
* https://www.pan-uk.org/uk-government-permits-use-of-bee-toxic-insecticides/
** Hansard for the full debate (90 minutes)