Thank you for contacting me with your red-tape problem as an electrician.

The legislation you mention, building regulations part P, falls under UK Government Planning rules. This time it is UK red-tape and not EU red-tape that is making your job more difficult. An impact assessment was recently carried out on Part P by the UK government; you can see the results here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49996/121217_-_Part_P_IA_-_to_publish_for_web.pdf

As this is not an EU issue, I can’t do very much for you here in Brussels. Unfortunately, the period of public consultation has passed. Your best bet to cause change is to contact your local MP or the UK Department for Communities and Local Government. They will be able to inform more about how the issue is progressing and keep you updated on any further developments.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my press release. Please allow me to respond to some of your comments.

First of all, I acknowledge that the study by the Humbolt Forum of Food and Agriculture is only one study with one set of data results. Nevertheless, the UK government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has looked into the problem and considered several recent studies. Their research found that “none of the studies gives unequivocal evidence that sub-lethal effects with serious implications for colonies are likely to arise from current uses of neonicotinoids.” It determined that the risk assessment of neonicotinoids could be updated in light of new developments in science; however, they also concluded that changing existing regulation would not be the best solution at the moment. Defra’s report on neonicotinoids and bees from last September can be found here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13818-neonicotinoid-bees-20120918.pdf

Nonetheless, as Vice-President of the Cambridgeshire Beekeepers’ Association, I am deeply concerned about the health of bees in the UK and in Europe. I do want the health of bees to be a top priority, as they play a very important role in agriculture and in the environment. However, I am a strong believer in the fact that a proportional and balanced response must be struck in order to protect bees. Banning the use of important insecticides could affect farming and food production and this point of view also needs to be considered when finding a way to protect bee health.

The Agricultural Committee of the European Parliament will have their say on the matter this week when the European Food Safety Authority gives a presentation to the Committee on Wednesday.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP

Even though we have had Part P for some time now, I am still having to put up with poor and sometimes dangerous work done by unqualified electricians weekly, on average once a month I stop a fire accruing the majority of which are not at the consumer unit.

Registering work for part P takes a few seconds this would not cut red tape at all, making certification for minor works easier would cut red tape just a simple tick and signing for that work to show that it has been completed to the regulations this would help cut red tape.

As a struggling to make money electrician I feel greatly under appreciated by this new development.

I would suggest to add to part P, cooker and shower replacements and anything over 20 amps because of their large loads which are a fire hazards, not relax it.

Maybe to encourage more electricians to register, and maybe to encourage consumers to use registered electricians a 10% tax Levy should be added to all wireable electrical goods, this could be done easily the same way Screwfix do to their electrical products.

In my opinion the power of electricity should be given the respect it deserves.

Speaking to some electricians, they said that they would deregister if this went ahead.

Yours Faithfully

Trevor Jones

3) The authors, Dr. Noleppa and Dr. Hahn, acknowledge that the study was paid for by Bayer Crop Science and Syngenta manufacturers of neonicotinoid pesticides

4) The figure of 50,000 job losses (as full time equivalents) is a worst case scenario after 5 years. The EU Commission is proposing a two year ban followed by a review.

5) The proposal is to ban three named neonicotinoids from use on crops that are attractive to bees. Rapeseed, sunflowers, maize and cotton have been given as examples. The study, in the worst case scenario, looked at winter wheat, barley, and sugarbeet crops that are not attractive to bees, as well as maize, rapeseed , sunflowers thus inflating the detrimental effects of a ban

6) I cannot find a specific figure of a “cost to the EU economy up to €4.5 billion a year” in the study but note that it takes no account of the Commission’s estimate of the €22 billion per year contribution of pollinators to European agriculture, with 84 percent of crops needing insect pollination.

7) The statement “A ban on these insecticides could reduce yields of some key crops by 20%” is supported by the study but assumes that “ no other currently available corresponding crop protection technology would be used on areas where NNi (neonicotinoids) are deployed now” This is extremely unlikely.

Good response on this.

I need to talk to you about the ECR DSG Position, which I have applied for having been tipped off by someone we know.

I’ve left a message for Giles and Malcolm in Brussels and mobiles but I have mislaid yours…tut,tut!

Would be grateful if you could give me a call when you’re back in Brussels: +358 466 220 381 (mobile).

Best regards,

Garry

In the tough economic times that we currently find ourselves, the EU should not waste time and money on irrelevant schemes such as whether or not national sports teams wear the EU flag, but should concentrate on economic growth and job creation. Further regulation red tape will not help this.

With regards to your point on the growing support in the UK for further interaction and constructive action by our leaders, I am afraid that I do not agree with you. Polls have indicated that there has been a steady trend, not just in the UK, but throughout Europe, towards a growing disenchantment with the EU, precisely because of proposals such as this.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Sturdy MEP