In light of the government’s decision to once again grant the ’emergency’ use of the banned bee-harming pesticide thiamethoxam – a type of neonicotinoid – on sugar beet in England in 2023 – we are urging our supporters to write to their MP about this decision.
Luke Pollard MP has secured a Westminster Hall Debate in Parliament on the topic of ‘Use of bee-killing pesticides in agriculture’ – and we need as many MPs as possible to attend and demonstrate the strength of feeling to the Minister that attends.
Collaboration Members Greenpeace are running a petition here: https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/ban-bee-killing-pesticides
Please write to your MP using the template below, but adding in your own words too, to explain to your MP why this subject is important to you.
You can find your MP here: Find MPs – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament
If your MPs responds and says they will attend, do let us know by contacting amy@pan-uk.org, so we can monitor attendance.
TEMPLATE EMAIL:
Subject line suggestion: Will you attend the debate on Pesticides? – 1st Feb 9.30am
Dear {MP Name},
I’m writing to you about the news that the government has allowed the ‘emergency’ use of the banned bee-harming pesticide thiamethoxam – a type of neonicotinoid – on sugar beet in England in 2023.
A single teaspoon of neonicotinoid is enough to deliver a lethal dose to 1.25 billion bees. This comes just four days after the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) declared that providing emergency derogations for expressly prohibited neonicotinoid-treated seeds is not in line with EU law.
The government are ignoring the advice of their own experts: this year the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) once again advised against allowing thiamethoxam to be used and were again ignored by the government.
This authorisation is another example of the government failing to follow their warm words with meaningful action when it comes to pesticides and biodiversity. This latest move is completely at odds with the stronger pesticide reduction targets the UK advocated for at COP15, as well as the Leader’s Pledge for Nature it signed in 2020, which sought to raise global ambition on reversing biodiversity loss. It highlights the growing discrepancy between government words and action on pesticides in particular and broader environmental issues.
Will you attend the Westminster Hall debate scheduled for 9.30am on the 1st February, on the topic of ‘Use of bee-killing pesticides in agriculture’? It is vital that MPs challenge these decisions and raise awareness of how pesticides are driving biodiversity loss.
Best wishes,
{Your name}
