Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether negotiations on a sanitary and phytosanitary deal with the EU have begun; if not, why not; and when any such negotiations are due to begin.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have begun negotiations with the EU on an SPS agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and removing barriers to trade for British producers and retailers. While those negotiations are ongoing, we cannot comment further on the SPS agreement
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 11 September (HL10233), whether they aim to have legislation as a result of a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU fully implemented and taking effect in 2027.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As stated in the response to HL10233, the Government’s aim is to conclude negotiations and have legislative arrangements in place no later than 2027. We will update Parliament when an implementation plan has been agreed with the EU.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of phase 3 of the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme labelling scheme on the movement of pet food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is using a data-driven approach to monitoring the market, that confirms the vast majority of pet food has been compliant with the new labelling requirements introduced on 1 July, and we have seen no evidence that the availability of pet food in Northern Ireland has been impacted by Phase 3. Industry is adapting well to the requirements of the Windsor Framework, and we will continue to work closely with businesses to support them in doing so.
Furthermore, the Government has introduced contingent legislation to enable targeted ‘not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain if evidence demonstrates that the availability of certain goods to Northern Ireland may be seriously adversely affected by the labelling requirement.
The Government is committed to safeguarding the supply of retail goods into Northern Ireland and protecting the UK Internal Market.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of supply chain divergence for pet food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland since the introduction of individual labelling requirements on 1 July.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is using a data-driven approach to monitoring the market, that confirms the vast majority of pet food has been compliant with the new labelling requirements introduced on 1 July, and we have seen no evidence that the availability of pet food in Northern Ireland has been impacted by Phase 3. Industry is adapting well to the requirements of the Windsor Framework, and we will continue to work closely with businesses to support them in doing so.
Furthermore, the Government has introduced contingent legislation to enable targeted ‘not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain if evidence demonstrates that the availability of certain goods to Northern Ireland may be seriously adversely affected by the labelling requirement.
The Government is committed to safeguarding the supply of retail goods into Northern Ireland and protecting the UK Internal Market.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of availability of pet food in Northern Ireland since the introduction on 1 July of phase 3 labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is using a data-driven approach to monitoring the market, that confirms the vast majority of pet food has been compliant with the new labelling requirements introduced on 1 July, and we have seen no evidence that the availability of pet food in Northern Ireland has been impacted by Phase 3. Industry is adapting well to the requirements of the Windsor Framework, and we will continue to work closely with businesses to support them in doing so.
Furthermore, the Government has introduced contingent legislation to enable targeted ‘not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain if evidence demonstrates that the availability of certain goods to Northern Ireland may be seriously adversely affected by the labelling requirement.
The Government is committed to safeguarding the supply of retail goods into Northern Ireland and protecting the UK Internal Market.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what quantity of pet food transported from Great Britain to Northern Ireland has been refused entry to Northern Ireland since the introduction of the requirement for individual labelling for pet food products.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is using a data-driven approach to monitoring the market, that confirms the vast majority of pet food has been compliant with the new labelling requirements introduced on 1 July, and we have seen no evidence that the availability of pet food in Northern Ireland has been impacted by Phase 3. Industry is adapting well to the requirements of the Windsor Framework, and we will continue to work closely with businesses to support them in doing so.
Furthermore, the Government has introduced contingent legislation to enable targeted ‘not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain if evidence demonstrates that the availability of certain goods to Northern Ireland may be seriously adversely affected by the labelling requirement.
The Government is committed to safeguarding the supply of retail goods into Northern Ireland and protecting the UK Internal Market.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the conclusion of negotiations and the signing of a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU; and when they plan to bring forward legislation to implement the agreement.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are expecting to start negotiations in the autumn, once the EU has confirmed their mandate. We are aiming to conclude negotiations and have legislative arrangements in place no later than 2027, subject to discussion with the EU.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications and impact of the UK-EU agreement on the movement of pets (1) between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in both directions, and (2) between the United Kingdom and the EU in both directions.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not expect the arrangements for pet travel to change for movement of pets between Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a result of this deal.
We have agreed to establish a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Zone, which will mean travelling with pets into the EU and back will be easier and cheaper once the full agreement is finalised and implemented.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure full access in Northern Ireland to veterinary medicines from Great Britain as a result of the UK-EU agreement.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
After the summit with the EU on 19 May, the UK and the EU committed to negotiating an SPS Agreement, which will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses, and improving consumer choice.
While we do not expect this Agreement to cover veterinary medicinal products, this remains a priority for Government, and we are committed to safeguarding supply to protect animal health and welfare in Northern Ireland. The Government will be setting out its approach on the supply of veterinary medicines beyond the end of the grace period.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK-EU agreement on the movement of plant and horticultural products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and whether all plant and horticultural products from Great Britain will be available in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The new UK-EU Common Understanding agrees to remove a broad and wide-ranging set of requirements for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) goods and plants moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Once implemented, there will be no need for SPS paperwork such as health certificates to move agrifood or plant products to Northern Ireland, no mandatory identity or physical checks on those goods, no need for Plant Health Labels when moving plants for planting, seed potatoes, and used agricultural machinery, and no bans on ‘high risk’ plants.