Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether scenario planning in relation to Brexit has included the option of suspending food regulations and inspections should delays occur at UK borders after Brexit.

Leaving the European Union does not change the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) top priority which is to ensure that United Kingdom food remains safe and what it says it is. Effective planning will ensure that from the day the UK leaves the EU, the necessary resources will be in place to maintain protection for UK consumers from food risks.

The FSA is committed to having in place a robust and effective regulatory regime which will mean business can continue to run as normal. If any rules change after the UK leaves the EU, the FSA will apply its usual rigorous risk assessment to those changes and ensure public safety remains at the heart of everything it does.

The FSA will shortly be publishing its technical notice on imported food which will contain further information on the Government’s proposals for managing the risk from imported food in the event of a no-deal outcome.