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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of food that has gone to waste since 1 January 2021 as a result of export checks introduced following the UK's departure from the EU.

In the early months of 2021, Defra officials have made themselves readily available to work with UK traders, EU port officials and colleagues in other Government departments to rapidly unblock issues, ensure that there is feedback from Member States and keep trade flowing.

Between January and March 2021 the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issued 40,300 certificates for exports to the EU, although some of these may be for consignments not yet exported. We are aware of 17 consignments that were rejected at EU Border Control Posts during this period. There may be more not known to Defra or APHA. Of the 17 rejected consignments, solutions may have been found to ensure safe entry into the EU.