Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce reliance on physical paperwork in sanitary and phytosanitary processes for trade with the European Union.

The Government is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers.

Routine SPS border checks will be eliminated, so fresh produce can hit supermarket shelves more quickly, with less paperwork and fewer costs. GB goods such as dairy, fish, eggs and red meat are currently subject to 100% documentary checks and up to 30% physical checks. An SPS deal will see these removed entirely.