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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government next plans to undertake negotiations with the EU on animal health and identification marks.

We want a relationship with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, and centred on free trade. In the circumstances, we have no plans to ask for special arrangements on the use of health or identification marks for British exports to the EU. The Food Standards Agency is finalising its new guidance to the food industry covering which health and identification marks should be used on products of animal origin after the end of the Transition Period. We anticipate that this will be published shortly.