Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Rejected
Paragraph: 174
Publish National Action Plan for Sustainable Pesticide Use no later than May 2024.
Recommendation
We echo the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee’s recommendation that the Government should publish the National Action Plan for Sustainable Pesticide Use no later than May 2024.
Government Response Summary
The government states it is working on publishing the National Action Plan but implicitly rejects the May 2024 deadline, citing the wide-ranging and complex nature of the work and extensive consultation responses as reasons for the delay, while highlighting other ongoing pest management initiatives.
Paragraph Reference:
174
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
Government are working on publishing the National Action Plan. The work is wide ranging and complex, reflected in the number of responses we received following consultation in 2021 (over 38,500). We have therefore needed time to get our policies right, to ensure that we deliver on our ambitions. However, we have not waited for the publication of the NAP to move forward with work supporting sustainable pest management. Farmers can now sign up for four paid Integrated Pest Management (IPM) actions within the Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFI) scheme. Three paid actions on precision application of herbicides will also be available later this year. We are also supporting research into pest management and IPM, including through the £270 million Farming Innovation Programme. This work will help farmers access the most effective pest management tools available and ensure that we understand changing trends in pest threats across the UK.