On Wednesday, government regulators approved the NFU’s renewed application to use restricted neonicotinoid seed treatments in autumn this year.

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However, environment groups responded furiously to the derogation approval, which was granted on the last day before the six week parliamentary recess.

A Soil Association spokesperson said the organic organisation is “Outraged that Defra has bowed to pressure, ignored scientific evidence and will allow farmers to use toxic neonicotinoids.”

Friends of the Earth bees campaigner Paul de Zylva said, “It’s scandalous that the Government has caved in to NFU pressure and given permission for some farmers to use banned pesticides that have been shown to harm our precious bees.
 
“Ever more scientific evidence shows just how dangerous these chemicals are to bees and other pollinators - they should have no place in our fields and gardens. The NFU’s campaign to undermine the pesticides ban has given an impression of large crop losses nationwide, but this is not supported either by the scientific evidence or harvest figures."

Last week the Guardian reported that government pesticide advisors had been “gagged” after they recommended rejecting the NFU’s first application. Advisors reported that Defra officials asked the Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) not to publish details of meetings, apparently contradicting commitments to transparency.
 
de Zylva added, “It’s completely unacceptable for the Government to refuse to make the NFU’s application publicly available - and it even asked its own independent advisors not to publish the minutes and agenda of key meetings.
 
"The secrecy around this application will only fuel the public’s mistrust of Government policy on pesticides.”