Beehave! Defra told its pesticide policy was wrong

The Government’s own environmental watchdog has found Defra broke environmental law when it allowed emergency use of a bee-harming pesticide without properly considering the impact on protected nature sites.The Office for Environmental Protection said Defra’s decisions to authorise restricted use of Cruiser SB in 2023 and 2024 were in breach of environmental law because the department failed to assess the potential effect on protected areas.The case centred on emergency authorisatio