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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the egg industry.

We remain focused on facilitating a smooth and orderly withdrawal from the EU with a deal as soon as possible. If we do leave the EU with a deal, trade in the egg sector will continue with the EU and third countries as it does at present for the duration of the implementation period.

However, as a responsible Government, we have been preparing to minimise any disruption in the event of a no deal. Since the referendum over three years ago we have been meeting regularly with the egg industry to understand and anticipate the potential impacts of a no deal scenario on the sector. The UK has a high level of self-sufficiency in eggs; last year the UK was nearly 90% self-sufficient in its egg production. The UK is also a net importer of eggs, with the overwhelming majority of egg imports coming from the EU. In the event of no deal, EU imports will continue to enter the UK tariff-free. In relation to exports, last year approximately 40% of our exports of eggs (value) went to the EU. This accounts for 1.3% of our domestically produced eggs. In the event of a no deal EU departure these exports would face a tariff when going to the EU. As the UK would be classed as a ‘third country’ in the event of a no deal, there may be a period during which the UK cannot export eggs to the EU. This is because the EU may want to carry out an assessment called ‘an evaluation of equivalence’ of UK marketing standards.

We will be monitoring the market prior to and immediately after we leave the EU on 31 October and will be ready to intervene if necessary.