Pesticides that are toxic to honeybees are to be banned in the UK, the Environment Secretary said yesterday.
In a reversal from the government’s previous position, Michael Gove said the government now supports an EU-wide ban.
The move was hailed by green campaigners as a strong signal that the environment will continue to be protected after Brexit.
The pesticides – known as neo-nicotinoids or ‘neo-nics’ – are meant to kill insects that eat crops. They are used in sprays and coatings on seeds – killing sap-sucking weevils and aphids.
A recent study found that three-quarters of the honey produced around the world contains nerve agent pesticides that can harm bees
But Mr Gove said yesterday the risk to bees and other insects such as butterflies was ‘greater than previously understood’.
Last month a study found that three-quarters of the honey produced around the world contains nerve agent pesticides that can harm bees.
Increasing evidence shows they also cause harm bees’ ability to forage for food and to reproduce.
Scientists who tested 198 honey samples from every continent except Antarctica discovered that 75 per cent were laced with at least one of the neonicotinoid chemicals.
The European Commission proposed a ban on three neonicotinoids on flowering crops such as oil seed rape in 2013 because of the threat to bee health. The UK had opposed the ban.
Now Mr Gove said he believed the evidence base had ‘grown’ and the UK will back a new proposal by the EC to extend the ban to non-flowering crops such as wheat and sugar beet as well.
There is also growing evidence which shows they also cause harm bees’ ability to forage for food and to reproduce
MR Gove said: ‘While there is still uncertainty in the science, it is increasingly pointing in one direction.
‘Not to act would be to risk continuing down a course which could have extensive and permanent effects on bee populations.
‘That is not a risk I am prepared to take, so the UK will be supporting further restrictions on neo-nicotinoids.
‘Unless the evidence base changes again, the Government will keep these restrictions in place after we have left the EU.’
Mr Gove said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by a recent study into the health of some insect populations, which revealed 75 per cent of flying insects in Germany had disappeared.
Fears that protection of the environment and food standards might weaken have included the idea that US-produced ‘chlorine-washed chicken’ could be imported to the UK.
Mr Gove said in July he would oppose any trade deal that would allow the chlorinated chicken to come to the UK.
Academics and green campaigners welcomed the ban.
Matt Shardlow, of insect conservation group Buglife said: ‘We warmly welcome the UK’s change of position. Brexit will give the UK more control over the health of our ecosystems and it is essential in doing so that we apply the highest standards of care.’
Environment Secretary said the risk to bees and other insects such as butterflies was ‘greater than previously understood’
But the National Farmers Union criticised the government’s decision.
A spokesman for the NFU said: ‘Farmers are acutely aware that bees play a crucial role in food production. Farmers rely on bees to pollinate crops and have planted around 10,000 football pitches of flower habitat across the country to support a healthy bee population and give them a good home.
‘We deeply regret the decision the Government has taken on this issue as we don’t believe the evidence justifies this abrupt change in policy.
‘We will continue to speak to the Government about how the impact of the decision can best be mitigated so that farmers can maintain sustainable and productive cropping systems.’
But Professor Lin Field, head of the crop protection department at Rothamsted Research said: ‘I think that extending the ban to crops that don’t flower will create problems for UK farmers, especially for sugar beet and cereals.’
She said there was no alternative to neo-nics for controlling aphids on sugar beet and stopping use on cereals could mean bugs living on cereals could be more likely to develop resistance to other insecticides, which will be used more widely.