I attended an event hosted by the US Ambassador to the UK to celebrate the Second World Bee Day. The aim of the day was to draw attention to the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy. During the event we discussed opportunities to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats,
improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping more generally. I met a number of old friends from MAFF days. I welcome the decision taken by EU Member States who voted in favour of an almost complete ban on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides across the EU. These are a group of pesticides which were
commonly used in UK farming and there is convincing scientific evidence that neonicotinoids harm bees.

The Labour Party published a Green Transformation document in 2018. It recognises that healthy soils, oceans and woodland are vital for our food security including for supporting pollinators and biodiversity more broadly. I am glad that the Labour Party has also pledged to embed and enhance in policy the responsibility for farmers to conserve, enhance and create safe habitats for birds, insects and other wild animals, and encourage the growth of wildflowers.