Consultation outcome

Wildlife licensing: changes to class licence WML-CL22 - non native bumblebee release in commercial glass houses and poly-tunnels

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Business engagement assessment: proposal to amend class licence WML-CL22

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Detail of outcome

Natural England has reviewed the responses to the consultation on the licensing of the release of non native bumblebees for the purposes of crop pollination and research.

See the business engagement assessment for details of the findings.


Original consultation

Summary

Seeking views of growers on the proposal not to renew class licence WML-CL22 and review permission to release non native bumblebees in commercial glass houses on a case-by-case basis.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

Due to both the accepted risks associated with non native bumblebees and the switch by many growers to use native (British) commercial bumblebees, Natural England is proposing to not re-issue a grower class licence which permits growers in England to release non native bumblebees.

The current licence expires on 31 December 2014. This change will not affect or place any restrictions on the use of commercial native pollination bumblebees.

We believe that as native bumblebees are commercially available as an alternative to non natives, it is now appropriate to consider proposals for release of non native bumblebees on a case-by-case basis, rather than permit releases through a class licence. If growers wish to continue to release non native bumblebees they will need to apply to Natural England for an individual licence for this activity.

Documents

WML-CL22 consultation details

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 6 August 2014
Last updated 19 November 2014 + show all updates
  1. Details of consultation outcome added.

  2. First published.

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