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• Important step forward in delivering on election commitment to safeguarding bees, butterflies and the wider environment聽聽

A complete ban on use of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides has moved a step closer today (Saturday 21 December), as the government sets out its plans to deliver a key election pledge.聽聽聽

Despite being banned from general use in the UK, the last government authorised the use of neonicotinoids every year for the last four years in England via a process known as emergency authorisation.聽聽聽聽聽

Neonicotinoids are extremely toxic to pollinators. Even at doses that are not directly fatal to bees they can cause cognitive problems impacting foraging abilities and the productivity of hives. The chemicals can also persist in the soil creating a further risk to bees.聽聽

Bees and other pollinators are crucial to the agricultural economy with the economic benefits of pollination to crop production in the UK estimated at 拢500 million annually.聽聽

The Government has set out its next steps, including identifying legislative options that would legally prevent the future use of three specific neonicotinoids 鈥� clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam 鈥� entirely, taking full account of the importance of pollinators.聽

Environment Minister Emma Hardy said:聽聽聽聽

鈥淲e are delivering on our promise to ban toxic bee-killing pesticides and ending the long-term decline of our wildlife.聽聽

鈥淎 healthy environment is vital to our food and economic security. Protecting bees by stopping the use of damaging neonicotinoids is an important step in supporting the long-term health of our environment and waterways, and our farming sector.鈥澛犅犅犅犅�

The move comes ahead of the publication of a new UK National Action Plan (NAP), which will set how pesticides can be used sustainably.聽聽

Ensuring that our food production is sustainable is key to the long-term health of the agricultural sector, as well as the nation鈥檚 food security. The Government鈥檚 Plan for Change is built on the strong foundation of a stable economy.聽聽

The Government commitment to farmers remains steadfast and we are fully committed to supporting farmers to protect their crops in more sustainable ways. There has already been progress in this space, including research into new virus-resistant varieties of sugar beet and new alternative pesticide sprays, and we will continue to support this work.聽

The announcement today builds on the swift action the Government has taken to recover nature more widely. This includes committing to a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan and new delivery plans to meet targets on air quality, the circular economy and water. In the first few months of this government, legislation was introduced to put failing water companies under special measures to curb pollution in our waterways and a Flood Resilience Taskforce was introduced to speed up the creation of nature-based solutions, like planting trees to protect communities against the impact of extreme weather.聽聽聽聽

NOTES TO EDITORS:聽聽聽

• The legal requirements for emergency authorisations have not changed today and any applications for 2025 will be considered under the law as it stands.聽聽聽

• The Neonicotinoids Policy Statement applies to England only.

• The UK Government will look to work with the devolved governments to seek a shared and consistent way forward.聽聽聽

• 拢5 billion was set aside in the Budget for farming over two years, including the single biggest amount of money ever allocated for sustainable food production and nature recovery.

• The full Neonicotinoids Policy Statement can be found