Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking ensure that the maintenance of food of comparable quality from overseas without tariffs after the UK leaves the EU.

In the event that the UK leaves the EU under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, there will be an implementation period during which tariffs remain unchanged. Should the UK leave the EU without a deal, the UK will implement a temporary tariff as announced on 13 March 2019. This is a balanced tariff policy which aims to minimise costs to business and mitigate price impacts on consumers, while also supporting UK producers as far as possible.

The applied tariff does not affect what food is eligible be imported into the UK. The Government is committed in all exit scenarios to upholding the UK’s high food safety, environmental, and animal welfare standards.