Green groups are pushing for an 11th-hour shift in strategy by the government to vote in favour of a proposed EU ban on neonicotinoid insecticides.
EU member states are due to vote on the European Commission proposal today.
Defra has announced that as the proposal currently stands, it will not support an outright ban on the use of neonicotinoids.
However, this morning, Friends of the Earth (FOE) urged the UK government to vote in favour of restrictions.
“With bee populations in crisis and mounting scientific concerns about the impact of neonicotinoid insecticides, no government can claim to be taking bee decline seriously unless it’s prepared to act on these chemicals,” said Andrew Pendleton, head of campaigns.
Defra said it had always been clear that a healthy bee population was its top priority. “That’s why decisions need to be taken using the best possible scientific evidence and we want to work with the Commission to achieve this,” said a spokeswoman. Any action taken must be proportionate and not have any unforeseen knock-on effects, she added.
When the neonicotinoids issue went to an EU vote in March this year, the UK abstained. Defra would not say whether it intended to abstain or vote against the proposal today.
FOE has also called on prime minister David Cameron to introduce a bee action plan, pointing out use of pesticides was not the only threat faced by bees.
Earlier this month, Waitrose announced it was banning suppliers from using three neonicotinoids – imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam.
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