Trees: Disease Control
Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Written answers and statements, 5 November 2009
David Drew (Stroud, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to prevent the importation of tree diseases via ash (a) seedlings and (b) transplants.
Dan Norris (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Wansdyke, Labour)
Seedlings and transplants of the genus Fraxinus L (Ash) may be imported into the UK only if they meet the requirements of the EC Plant Health Directive (2000/29/EC). The directive requires that ash seedlings and transplants imported from a third country must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, to confirm that specific conditions have been met, such as freedom from certain pests and diseases, soil, plant debris, leaves, flowers and fruit. Plants are also checked at import by inspectors from the Food and Environment Research Agency (in England and Wales). When ash seedlings and transplants are introduced from another EU member state they must be from a place of production known to be free from certain pests and diseases.