As someone who has 25 yrs + involvement with bees and their local
association, and run 40+ colonies on the 300 acre fruit farm that I
managed, I have bumped into problems of all sorts including Bee
Inspectors.
 
From the outset my impression was and still is that the UK government
via the MAAF is making a token effort towards beekeeping.
 
Unfortunately the majority of beekeepers int he UK are small scale
and get branded as 'Hobyist' and therefore not serious.
 
While the key persons employed by the ministry may be very loyal to
and knowledgeable about beekeeping, my impression is that they are
handcuffed by the system.
 
The Bee Inspectors that looked at my bees have been as follows:
  A printer who retired early who kept bees
  An agricultural worker who kept bees and had been made redundant
  An ex ministry employee who did not keep bees
 
Although there is a 3 year inspection written into legislation my
colonies have NEVER been inspected this often.
 
In the early/mid 1970's I arranged for two people from the Ministry
who were beekeepers to bring to Canterbury their 'Magic Roundabout'.
This is a circular display of sections of comb showing all the
different conditions of comb and was used to train inspectors at the
time.
 
This event was advertised to beekeepers in the Kent area at short
notice and took place in late May.  We had nearly 100 beekeepers
visit and recieve instruction by the two leading Ministry instructors
of the time including several commercial beekeepers from other parts
of the country that were collecting their hives from pollination in
Kent.
 
This magic roundabout was at Sparshalt at one time.  It is  a very
valuable resource and should be used to the benefit of beekeeping in
the whole of the UK.  Perhaps it could be tracked down.
 
Keith
 
(who has an attitude towards 'Token' efforts of the Ministry)