Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of hormone-treated beef in trade deals.

Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.

The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.

We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.