Environment Bill — Clause 7 — Environmental Improvement Plans — Reports to Parliament on Plant Protection Products — 26 Jan 2021 at 17:53
The majority of MPs voted not to require reports to Parliament on exemptions granted to regulations on plant protection products such as weedkillers and pesticides.
MPs were considering the Environment Bill.[1][2]
The amendment rejected in this vote was:
- Amendment 39, page 5, line 21, at end insert—
- “(7A) If an exemption is granted under Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, which is likely to affect species covered by an environmental improvement plan—
- (a) a report must be laid before Parliament within one month of the exemption decision on the likely effects of the exemption on populations of—
- (i) bees,
- (ii) other pollinators, and
- (iii) other species,
- (b) the scientific advice given to ministers relating to the exemption must be published as an addendum to the report, and
- (c) a Minister of the Crown must, not later than one month after the report is laid before Parliament under paragraph :(8), move a Motion in the House of Commons in relation to the report.
- (7B) The requirement in subsection (7A) shall apply retrospectively to exemptions granted within the last 12 months of the coming into force of this Act.”--
The rejected amendment was accompanied by the following statement from its proposer:
- This amendment places requirements on Ministers to allow parliamentary scrutiny of exemptions granted to allow plant protection products banned under retained EU law (such as neonicotinoid pesticides), where they are likely to impact bees and other species covered by an environmental improvement plan.
Clauses 7-14 of the Bill[3] related to Environmental Improvement plans.
- [1] Parliament's webpage on the Environment Bill, Parliament.uk
- [2] Explanatory notes to the Environment Bill, 30 January 2020, Parliament.uk
- [3] Environment Bill as of 27 November 2020. Parliament.uk
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.
| Party | Majority (No) | Minority (Aye) | Both | Turnout |
| Alliance | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Con | 356 (+2 tell) | 2 | 0 | 98.6% |
| DUP | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Green | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Independent | 0 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Lab | 0 | 196 (+2 tell) | 0 | 99.0% |
| LDem | 0 | 11 | 0 | 100.0% |
| PC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| SDLP | 0 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total: | 364 | 220 | 0 | 98.8% |
Rebel Voters - sorted by vote
MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division
Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote
| Name | Constituency | Party | Vote |
| Roger Gale | North Thanet | Con (front bench) | aye |
| Dame Cheryl Gillan | Chesham and Amersham | Con (front bench) | aye |