Victoria Atkins (Louth and Horncastle) (Con)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The head of Dover Port Health Authority has told the House that if funding is not secured for the new financial year, food security checks at the border will be stopped. On 6 February I asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to confirm that funding. He did not answer, and has not responded to my two written parliamentary questions on the subject. We are now more than two weeks past the deadline for a response and days away from the new financial year, with no answer to the question of whether those important checks at our border will continue. May I please have your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker, on how we can secure a prompt and accurate response from the Secretary of State before the checks for diseased meats, in particular, are stopped?
Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)
I am not sure whether the Chair was alerted to that point of order. It is always good to give prior notice on the exact language.
The right hon. Member will know that that is not a matter for the Chair, but she has put her point on the record. No doubt those on the Treasury Bench will have heard it and will pass on her views.
Bill Presented
Arm’s-Length Bodies (Accountability to Parliament) Bill
Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)
Sir Christopher Chope presented a Bill to make provision for arm’s length bodies to be directly accountable to Parliament.
Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 28 March, and to be printed (Bill 208).