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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Gardiner of Kimble to Lord Cunningham of Felling on 19 March (HL Deb, col 1365), how that response is consistent with (1) their recent announcement on farming tariffs, and (2) the operation of Council Regulation (EC) No 5/2001 of 19 December 2000 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing standards for eggs.

The Government remains committed to high standards of animal welfare and food safety.

In the event of no deal, existing UK import standards will still apply and the level of tariff applied does not change what can and cannot be imported.

Furthermore, existing EU egg marketing standards will be retained in UK law once we leave the EU. Where the UK cannot sufficiently guarantee that imported eggs are equivalent to these Regulations, the eggs must be clearly labelled as not meeting the UK standard. This will provide the necessary clarity to enable consumers to make informed purchasing choices.