Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which additional border control posts have been constructed in the UK due to the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The following BCPs have been newly constructed since the UK left the EU: Dover Bastion, Harwich, Heysham, Holyhead (Welsh Government project), Liverpool 2, Newhaven, Poole, Portsmouth, Purfleet, Sevington, Tyne.
Further information on the designation of ports is available on GOV.UK.
Animals, animal products and HRFNAO imports: authorised border control posts in the UK - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the volume of trade is that is required to be processed through each additional border control post constructed in the UK as a result of the UK exiting the EU.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold information on what volumes of trade are required to be processed via individual border control posts due to the UK leaving the EU.
The Government has worked with commercial ports to ensure that the infrastructure required to facilitate trade is in place, while also respecting the discretion of port operators and other stakeholders to make decisions on a commercial basis about the use of their infrastructure and facilities.
Further information on which ports are designated as BCPs, is available on GOV.UK. Animals, animal products and HRFNAO imports: authorised border control posts in the UK - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was of each additional order border control post constructed in the UK as a result of the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through the Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF), the Government provided grants totalling nearly £200 million to 41 ports to construct infrastructure required for import controls following the UK leaving the EU.
Information on ports which received funding from the Ports Infrastructure Fund is
available on GOV.UK: Port Infrastructure Fund - successful applicants - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much freight has been processed at the border control post in Grangemouth in (a) tonnes and (b) GBP value since its creation.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold the volume of freight or the GBP value of freight that is processed at Grangemouth BCP due to commercial sensitivity.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide a breakdown of (a) the type of freight and (b) its value processed at the border control post at Grangemouth.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold information on the value of freight going through Grangemouth BCP. The BCP is designated for the importation of products of animal origin (POAO), high risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFFNAO), and plastic kitchenware.
Further details are available on GOV.UK:
Animals, animal products and HRFNAO imports: authorised border control posts in the UK - GOV.UK
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will conduct an audit of environmental infrastructure classified as critically important to national interests to identify whether they contain Chinese-made components.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK will not compromise on economic security and will continue to prioritise national security and resilience.
We will continue to cooperate with China on trade and investment, recognising there will also be areas where we need to challenge non-market policies and protect sensitive sectors of the economy.
We will continue to support UK business to engage with the second largest economy in the world, while being clear-eyed to any risks and ensuring security and resilience.
The National Technical Authorities (National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority) provide advice to critical national infrastructure (CNI) industry on best practice for CNI security and resilience.
Defra does not comment publicly on specific matters related to its CNI.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with his EU counterparts on the ease of pet transportation between the UK and EU member states.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra applied to the European Commission in February 2020 for the United Kingdom (UK) and Crown Dependencies to be listed as a ‘Part 1’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme having met all of the EU’s stated conditions to be granted this. However, the EU formally ‘listed’ the UK as a ‘Part 2’ third country, meaning pet owners can no longer use pet passports issued in Great Britain (GB) for travel to the EU and instead need a single use Animal Health Certificate (AHC).
The Government wants to reset our relationship with the EU and will meet with European partners over the coming months to discuss how we might deepen cooperation. However, it is too early to speculate on the scope or outcome of these discussions, including in relation to pet travel.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with EU representatives on the potential reintroduction of pet passports.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra applied to the European Commission in February 2020 for the United Kingdom (UK) and Crown Dependencies to be listed as a ‘Part 1’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme having met all of the EU’s stated conditions to be granted this. However, the EU formally ‘listed’ the UK as a ‘Part 2’ third country, meaning pet owners can no longer use pet passports issued in Great Britain (GB) for travel to the EU and instead need a single use Animal Health Certificate (AHC).
The Government wants to reset our relationship with the EU and will meet with European partners over the coming months to discuss how we might deepen cooperation. However, it is too early to speculate on the scope or outcome of these discussions, including in relation to pet travel.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the average annual cost to pet owners of obtaining an animal health certificates for travel to an EU country.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Animal Health Certificates are obtained from an official veterinarian. All fees are set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices and are a private matter between individual practices and their clients.