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1687401

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the location of the new border control post in Sevington on biosecurity risk.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest East
	tabling member printed	Sir Julian Lewis
	uin	12881
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2024 answer text <p>Until now, goods from the EU enter the UK without certification and checks, apart from those required for the highest-risk live animals and plants. Now that we have moved away from the EU’s rigid biosecurity surveillance and reporting systems, we are responsible for mitigating our own biosecurity risks, which otherwise could devastate UK industries and our ability to export food, as well as posing risks to the environment, public health and the wider economy: by taking a risk-based approach our controls will be focused on consignments proven to cause the most significant biosecurity risk. <br> <br> Defra has worked closely with the relevant designating authority so we are confident that Sevington will have the necessary measures in place to appropriately mitigate biosecurity risks that relate to this facility being located away from the point of entry. The approach to physical checks at inland Border Control Points has already been successfully adopted for plants. Work is also underway with key stakeholders, including the Food Standards Agency, to ensure robust operational procedures for vehicles travelling from port of entry to Sevington. These measures will ensure that biosecurity and food safety are not compromised.</p><p>Where a consignment is called to Sevington inland border facility for a physical inspection, those goods will not be legally cleared for sale or use within the UK until they have attended and been cleared at the Border Control Post (BCP). Where the BCP has concerns, either due to non-attendance or evidence of non-compliance, there are existing provisions, including requiring return or destruction of the goods, or for the goods to be referred for inland controls by the local authority. These are part of the established processes for Border Control facilities like Sevington that sit outside the controlled zone of ports, including those at Liverpool Birkenhead, Newhaven, Portsmouth and Tyne. Other EU ports like Dublin also carry out checks at control posts outside of the port itself. <br> <br> African Swine Fever safeguard checks will be conducted with Border Force at the point of entry. It has never been our intention that these would move to any inland border facility.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 07/03/2024 09:49:42 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	54 label Biography information for Sir Julian Lewis

1687937

	registered interest
	date	06/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what provisions there are in recent free trade agreements to ensure imported food is produced to the UK standards.
	tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
	tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
	uin	13463
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2024 answer text <p>All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with the UK’s import requirements and standards. The UK’s Free Trade Agreements do not create any new permissions for imports and do not compromise on the UK’s high environmental protection, animal welfare, plant health, and food standards.</p><p> </p><p>The UK’s food safety standards are overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. Both provide independent advice to UK Health ministers. Alongside other government agencies, they oversee the regulation of imported food and feed to ensure that it complies with the UK’s high safety standards, protect ing consumers from unsafe food.</p><p> </p><p>Without exception, the UK will continue to protect food standards in the UK under all existing and future Free Trade Agreements. Decisions on these standards remain a matter for the UK and will be made separately from any trade agreements. The Prime Minister has been clear that there will be no chlorine-washed chicken and no hormone-treated beef on the UK market.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 15/02/2024 18:03:22 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart

1687402

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason sealed refrigerated vehicles containing food for cruise ships sailing from UK ports are included in the Border Target Operating Model regime; if he will re-examine submissions made to the consultation on the provisional operating model in 2023 about this category of transit; and if he will make it his policy to exclude from the operating model sealed ships' stores that are in transit and not destined for use in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest East
	tabling member printed	Sir Julian Lewis
	uin	12884
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2024 answer text <p>In response to stakeholder feedback on the draft Border Target Operating Model, we made a change to the timeline for the introduction of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls. Delaying the introduction of the SPS controls by three months has provided stakeholders additional requested time to prepare for the model. It also has the added benefit of bringing the implementation of controls closer to the introduction of further benefits to industry through the upcoming UK Single Trade Window. Movements of SPS animal origin goods that enter Great Britain for the purposes of supplying a ship due to leave from a different port to the one of entry follow the requirements for transit movements, with a reduced burden compared with imports for placing on the GB market. Unlike health certificates for medium risk products being imported into GB, public health attestations are not required for transit health certificates. This means they do not have to meet the same regulatory requirements as goods that are imported into GB, and it is therefore crucial that SPS controls are introduced on these products to prevent them from entering the GB internal market. Identity checks will be performed on medium risk goods for the purpose of supplying a ship at the same percentage as both identity and physical checks would be performed on an import of a medium risk good.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 15/02/2024 16:00:42 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	54 label Biography information for Sir Julian Lewis

1687400

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what biosecurity restrictions on imported foodstuffs arriving in sealed refrigerated vehicles (a) were in place prior to and (b) have been in place following the UK's departure from the European Union; and for what reason was the Border Target Operations Model introduced.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest East
	tabling member printed	Sir Julian Lewis
	uin	12880
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2024 answer text <p>When the UK left the European Union, we became responsible for designing and implementing our own border controls. The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is key to protecting the UK’s biosecurity and ensuring our trading partners have confidence in our standards. The longer we do not have full visibility and control over sanitary and phytosanitary imports, the greater the risks to our public health, our food and farming industries, and our natural environment. The risks of keeping imports unchecked is massive for the UK economy. For example, an African Swine Fever outbreak such as that on the continent would see stocks of pigs slaughtered and make our pork unexportable to the rest of the world. The BTOM strikes the appropriate balance between protecting the UK’s public health, food supply chains and farming industries and natural environment, and setting a pragmatic, proportionate controls regime.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 14/02/2024 09:56:53 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	54 label Biography information for Sir Julian Lewis

1684355

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the potential impact of the Border Target Operating Model on food price inflation in (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) 2026.
	tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
	tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
	uin	11103
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>Initial analysis has indicated that the policies introduced under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM)would lead to an approximate increase in consumer food price inflation of less than 0.2% over a 3-year period. The cost of BTOM controls is equivalent to 0.4% of the UK’s agri-food Gross Value Added of £127bn in 2021, which serves as a proxy for food prices.</p><p> </p><p>An outbreak of a major disease could have a much more significant impact. The 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease cost £12.8bn in 2022 prices, £4.8bn of which was cost to Government and £8bn cost to the private sector.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 08/02/2024 17:56:37 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1684356

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Border Target Operating Model on levels of food supply in (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) 2026.
	tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
	tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
	uin	11104
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2024 answer text <p>The resilience and reliability of food supply chains is a key objective of the Government as set out in last year’s Government Food Strategy. In implementing this new control regime for the first time on EU imports, we will carefully monitor the range of potential risks, including those that may impact food supply-chains.</p><p> </p><p>We will work with importers to try to manage those risks in a structured way. We recognise that this new model for importing Sanitary and Phytosanitary goods will require some businesses and their supply-chains to adapt their business models. We do not expect food shortages.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 08/02/2024 17:44:06 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1682949

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of imported food under the Border Target Operating Model.
	tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
	tabling member printed	John McDonnell
	uin	9995
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>The Government’s absolute priority in delivering the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is to protect and enhance food safety, and plant, animal and public health. The BTOM sets outs out a risk-based, proportionate regime of controls which systematically assesses the inherent biosecurity or public health risk presented by an import, together with the prevalence of relevant pests and diseases and our confidence in the exporting country’s production standards and health controls. This assessment allows us to set controls at the most appropriate level and focus on the areas of highest risk to ensure food safety.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 31/01/2024 13:55:53 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1669691

	registered interest
	date	13/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Common User Charge proposal on trends in the level of food imports at Portsmouth International Port.
	tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
	tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
	uin	1685
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2023 answer text <p>Defra is analysing the responses to the 'Charging arrangements at government-run border control posts' consultation and carefully assessing potential impacts on food imports. This will ensure we implement a charging system that will deliver best value for traders, and one that meets the Government’s cost recovery objectives in as transparent and fair way as possible. We expect to publish a summary of the responses and an update on the Common User Charge proposal shortly.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 20/11/2023 14:47:02 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1650902

	registered interest
	date	06/07/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to seek the ability to be to able to ban food imports on animal welfare grounds under World Trade Organization terms.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Sir Bill Wiggin
	uin	192776
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2023 answer text <p>We remain firmly committed to upholding our world-leading animal welfare standards as an independent trading nation.</p><p> </p><p>The UK will not compromise its high standards of animal welfare in any trade partnerships or agreements. In accordance with existing World Trade Organisation rules, we retain the ability to regulate for the protection and improvement of animal welfare.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 12/07/2023 10:11:31 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1604016

	registered interest
	date	14/03/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Food: Imports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of bringing forward a strategy on food and drink imports.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	165193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential. We enjoy a high degree of domestic food security, based on strong domestic production as well as imports. The Government Food Strategy was published in June 2022 which set out a plan to transform our food system to ensure it is fit for the future.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 22/03/2023 15:49:07 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas