Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of chlorine-washed poultry in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of Bovine Somatotropin-treated dairy products in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of ractopamine-treated pork in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of hormone-treated beef in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Oral Statement of 8 May 2025 on Trade Negotiations, Official Report, columns 897-899, whether food imports under the UK-US Free Trade Agreement of (a) ractopamine-treated pork (b) Bovine Somatotropin-treated dairy and (c) products where antibiotics have been used as growth promoters will be prohibited.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
On 8 May, the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to get an agreement with President Trump.
We have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef - with UK farmers given a guaranteed quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports at a very low tariff rate. Imports of hormone treated beef will remain illegal. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that any agricultural imports coming into the UK will meet the highest food standards.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang; and what steps he is taking to help prevent goods produced by forced labour entering the UK market.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK will stand firm on human rights, including China's repression of the peoples of Xinjiang. This has included raising concerns at the highest levels of the Chinese government. The Prime Minister raised human rights with President Xi at their meeting in the G20 Summit in November.
No company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more to report annually on steps taken to combat modern slavery. The Government continues to review how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help support high street businesses in Epping Forest.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
At Budget the Chancellor announced a number of measures to support high street businesses, ideally in Epping Forest’s regeneration including permanently lowering tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties from 2026/27, extending RHL relief and the Small Business Multiplier for another year and additional funding to tackle retail crime through additional training for police and retailers and programmes cracking down on organised gangs.
The Government also announced its intention to bring forward a Small Business Strategy Command Paper in 2025. This will set out the Government’s vision for supporting high street businesses including measures that will address access to finance, investment opportunities from overseas and domestic markets and building business capabilities.
This will complement the Government’s work to give local leaders and communities greater powers over empty properties and powers to revitalise their high streets.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) steps she is taking and (b) discussions she has had to support businesses prepare for the full implementation of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
In recent months, the Department for Business and Trade has met with a range of business representative organisations, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss the new tipping legislation and address any remaining concerns. Businesses and other stakeholders also had the opportunity to respond to the public consultation. The responses are currently being analysed to inform the final version of the statutory Code of Practice.
The final version of the Code will be published in the coming weeks, to ensure businesses have sufficient time to ensure they are compliant, ahead of coming into force in the summer.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made a recent assessment of the impact of the disruption to shipping in the Red Sea on international trade.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
My department is closely monitoring the situation and is working with key stakeholders, businesses and across government to identify and mitigate supply chain issues. We have held regular roundtables with industry exporting and importing into the UK, shipping companies, port operators and maritime representatives to hear their concerns and inform government. The Critical Import and Supply Chains Strategy is helping businesses work in partnership with the Government to build secure and reliable supply chains vital to the UK economy, national security, and the delivery of essential services.
We continue to monitor the Houthi attacks and activity in the Red Sea and are committed as a government to ensuring the Red Sea is safe for seafarers and traders to use, as shown through our commitment to Operation Prosperity Guardian.