Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of import controls on horticulture businesses; and whether he plans to consider this impact in the context of proposals to amend plant health fees.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s approach has been to design a modern border with a simplified but effective system of biosecurity controls to contribute to economic growth, minimising friction at the border, administrative burden to traders, and additional costs to consumers while maintaining or improving biosecurity. Our import controls are a critical element of any biosecurity system.
We also appreciate the importance of timeliness in imports. To this end checks at Border Control Posts are handled by trained staff working to standard operating procedures, ensuring inspections are undertaken safely and efficiently. The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) plant health import inspection process is accredited to the ISO 17020 Inspection Standard which is subject to external audits from the UK Accreditation Service. Inspectors are rigorously trained and are equipped to ensure sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) goods are handled safely and with care.
GB plant health services have significantly increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products. Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and deliver checks in line with set Service Level Agreements and ensure minimal trade disruption.
We are committed to reducing barriers to trade and cutting red tape by striking a fair balance between industry and biosecurity and will seek to negotiate an agreement with the EU to achieve this. Our aim is to negotiate a SPS agreement with the EU which could help to cut red tape and costs at our borders whilst maintaining a high standard of safety and security for eligible imports entering the UK through the short straits.
The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has been developed following extensive engagement with businesses across the UK, points of entry, enforcement agencies and with the Scottish and Welsh Devolved Governments. Defra continues to monitor and review the impact of the BTOM. We continue working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to trade, while continuing to protect our biosecurity.
The consultation on proposed increases to APHA plant health fees closed on 21 March 2025 and we are analysing the responses. We plan to respond to the consultation feedback in the spring.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) the border target operating model and (b) border control posts are adequately (i) resourced and (ii) equipped to ensure horticulture growers can import the required plant products to meet demand.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Checks at border control posts are handled by trained staff working to standard operating procedures, ensuring inspections are undertaken safely and efficiently. The Animal Plant and Health Agency plant health import inspection process is accredited to the ISO 17020 Inspection Standard which is subject to external audits from the UK Accreditation Service.
Inspectors are rigorously trained and are equipped to ensure sanitary and phytosanitary goods are handled safely and with care.
GB plant health services have significantly increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products. Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and ensure minimal trade disruption.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of Scottish Government research on Ultra High Frequency electronic identification technology in livestock.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has yet to make a decision on which technology to adopt for electronic identification (EID) in cattle in England. To inform decision making, Defra is reviewing, testing and seeking feedback on the different EID technologies, including through examining Scottish Government research.
In collaboration with the Welsh Government, we commissioned Harper Adams University to study the relative strengths and potential weaknesses of the two technologies under consideration. The findings of this study have now been published and can be found on Defra Science Search pages.
As we develop our thinking, Defra has also been in close touch with industry through an independent group of 25 industry, government and academic specialists from across the livestock, equine and meat industry.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much correspondence his Department has received from individuals making representations on proposed changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief for Inheritance Tax since October 2024.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) letters, (b) emails and (c) other correspondence his Department has received supporting proposed changes to (i) Agricultural Property Relief and (ii) Business Property Relief for Inheritance Tax.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) animal welfare and (b) environmental management protections in the comprehensive trade deal between the UK and New Zealand.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and New Zealand includes ground-breaking provisions on both animal welfare and environmental protection
The forward-looking provisions in the animal welfare chapter are largely unprecedented in other FTAs. We have secured non-regression and non-derogation clauses on animal welfare. This means both countries are committed to not lowering their animal welfare standards or make exceptions for their producers in a manner that materially affects trade. The chapter includes strong commitments to work with New Zealand bilaterally and in international fora to progress animal welfare standards.
The Environment chapter demonstrates our global leadership on climate and environmental protection. It will liberalise tariffs on the largest list of environmental goods in any FTA to date and encourage trade and investment in low carbon services and technology. It includes commitments to tackle environmental challenges such as illegal wildlife trade, air pollution, marine pollution and litter, and promote biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and the transition to a circular economy. The chapter also affirms our commitments to implement multilateral environmental agreements, including the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Paris Agreement.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What steps he is taking to increase animal welfare standards.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
This Government has an ambitious programme of legislative and non-legislative measures that go further than ever to ensure the highest level of animal welfare standards. Our Action Plan for Animal Welfare provides an overview. As part of this, we have introduced the Animal Sentience and Kept Animals Bills and intend to legislate further in an Animals Abroad Bill.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the environmental benefits of banning microbeads in June 2018.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2018 was developed based on evidence of harm to the marine environment from microplastics, and specifically evidence of microbeads directly entering the marine environment through the water treatment process. It aimed to create a level playing field between businesses that had already taken voluntary action and those that continued to use microbeads. An impact assessment was carried out before the ban was implemented. The impact assessment can be found here:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2017/178/pdfs/ukia_20170178_en.pdf.
More evidence is required to understand the full impact of microplastics, including microbeads, on the marine environment. We have been working to understand other sources of microplastics into the marine environment. This includes a Defra funded study, which investigated the sources and pathways of microplastics from tyres and textiles into the ocean:
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking with the food retail sector to ensure continuity of food supply.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. The Government has regular engagement across the industry who continue to monitor the situation closely, taking the necessary steps to address issues where they arise.
Following a significant spike in consumer demand, we have now seen stock levels in supermarkets improve. To support the food sector, the Government temporarily relaxed competition law and regulations relating to driver hours and delivery times so that the sector could work together to keep putting food on the shelves.
We welcome the actions that industry is taking, including hiring more staff, and prioritising delivery slots and shopping times for those that need them most. We are grateful for the extensive support and positive collaboration that the industry has shown. We will continue these conversations to keep food supply chains flowing and make sure people have the food and products they need.
Thanks to rapidly increasing testing capacity, the government has expanded eligibility to all essential workers with symptoms of coronavirus, including those working in the food and drink industry.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with supermarkets to help vulnerable people to shop for groceries online.
Answered by Victoria Prentis
Supermarkets have been working at pace to expand the total number of delivery and click and collect slots.
The Government is working to ensure that approximately 1.8 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract Coronavirus have access to the food they need. We have shared with supermarkets the details of those who have registered as extremely clinically vulnerable and need help accessing food. These details are processed by the supermarkets, who match these names against their own customer databases. They then offer people the option of priority access to online delivery.
We are also working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We are speaking to food retailers, delivery organisations and volunteer groups to help prioritise those individuals to access essential food. Most supermarkets are offering prioritised delivery and click and collect slots to those they have identified as vulnerable from their customer databases (for example by age, shopping habits or previous use of vulnerable customer helplines). We are working closely with retailers and local authorities to stand up a service to allow local authorities to refer vulnerable people to supermarkets for a priority delivery or click and collect slot.