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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether negotiations on a sanitary and phytosanitary deal with the EU have begun; if not, why not; and when any such negotiations are due to begin.

We have begun negotiations with the EU on an SPS agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and removing barriers to trade for British producers and retailers. While those negotiations are ongoing, we cannot comment further on the SPS agreement