Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming divergence of EU and UK farm antibiotic usage regulations on UK trade arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

Businesses wishing to export to the EU will need to meet the EU’s SPS requirements, just as imports to the United Kingdom have to meet our biosecurity import standards. The use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed remains banned in the United Kingdom under retained EU law.

HM Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals and it remains our intention to strengthen our national law in this area. As such, we are currently reviewing the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 and will set out proposed changes as part of a public consultation during 2022.