Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the capacity of UK Border Force to manage high risk food and feed that does not enter through a Border Inspection Post or Designated Point of Entry in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

Third country high-risk food and feed consignments transiting the European Union destined for the United Kingdom will need to enter the UK at ports with the required facilities, such as Border Inspection Posts (BIP) and Designated Points of Entry (DPE) to undertake required controls. Following detailed analysis to determine the possible number of such transits, there is sufficient existing capacity at UK ports with those facilities to undertake all relevant import controls.

The importation of high-risk feed and foods that are not pre-notified to a port with a BIP or DPE or enter a port without a BIP or DPE are illegal imports and as such are subject to Border Force control.