Swann urges action on bee protection

The 'bee inspector' is responsible for supporting bee health and addresses diseases such as American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB) which affect honeybees.

The South Antrim MP, who has engaged with Mary Cregagh MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Nature, was told that "the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit has 50 trained inspectors which includes the National Bee Inspector and eight Regional Bee Inspectors. All of these inspectors are trained to inspect and assess the health of bees and the hives in England and Wales."

Mr Swann said: "The health of our bee population in Northern Ireland is crucial to our environment and economy, so to that extent I have asked the Westminster Government if they would consider seconding an inspector to Northern Ireland, until one is recruited.”