Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent diseases (a) contaminating and (b) spreading between horse chestnut trees.

Rory Stewart

Horse chestnut trees have been affected by two particular organisms in recent years; the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella) and horse chestnut bleeding canker (Pseudomonas syringae pathovar aesculi).

These are both well established in Great Britain and statutory action to destroy affected trees would be impractical.

Forest Research has been involved in several studies to understand the nature of the organisms and their spread. This work has been used to develop recommendations for evidence-based disease management.

The UK Plant Health Risk Register helps to identify new and revised threats to horse chestnut trees and priority actions in response. In collaboration with EU partners we have taken actions to reduce the risk of damaging pests, such as the citrus longhorn beetle, being introduced and causing damage to horse chestnut trees.