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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many official discussions have taken place between policy teams for the UK leaving in the EU in relevant agencies of his Department and (a) port authorities, (b) major retailers, and (c) haulage firms on the different arrangements that will need to be put in place for the inspection of plant and animal materials imported to the UK from EU countries; and on what dates those discussions took place.

My officials talk regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, including the groups mentioned.

From a Port Health Authority perspective (which will include the Food Standards Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency) there have been five Official meetings:

Three have been chaired by Border Delivery Group and took place on the 28th February, 1st May and 2nd July 2018.

Two have been chaired by the Biosecurity and Food Project directorate and took place on the 9^th February and 15^th March 2018.

Alongside these official meetings, various informal meetings and workshops have taken place.