MEPs call for action on bee emergency

4.10.00pm GMT Fri 21st Nov 2008

MEPs have pressed for EU action to stop the declining bee population which threatens not just honey but the pollination of plants and thus food production.

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford said:

"Following the increased use of treated seed and a reduction in fallow land there is less pollen and nectar. Without these to sustain them, bees are becoming increasingly vulnerable to parasites and viruses and as a result the crops we rely on are at risk."

"In the UK, Liberal Democrats are putting pressure on the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs over research funding. It is unacceptable that just as a decreasing bee population threatens food supplies, over-runs in agricultural spending meant bee research in the UK has been cut."

"Now in Europe my colleagues and I are urging the Commission to conduct research into this problem including the extent to which it is exacerbated by pesticides and the potential need to provide financial aid for bee keepers."