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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is sufficient oversight of biosecurity border controls; and whether they plan to provide any further resources to biosecurity border controls, following reports of attempts to smuggle large quantities of meat into the UK illegally.

Protecting UK biosecurity remains paramount, and the Government will do whatever it takes to protect farmers. Defra is continually improving its oversight of operations, and we are undertaking relevant analysis to support ongoing operational oversight and develop further strategic border oversight functions.

Border checks are one component of the border biosecurity system, providing robust assurance that the underlying system of biosecurity controls are working as intended. The system also includes risk assessments, import conditions and health certificates signed by vets in the exporting country. The border checks are important, but they are not the primary mechanism for managing biosecurity risks. Defra has also imposed additional restrictions on imports of animal products, including those for personal consumption, in direct response to animal disease outbreaks in countries we trade with.

Defra officials are working with Border Force and Dover Port Health Authority to assess where enhanced enforcement activity would have the greatest impact. Defra is also discussing additional funding with for Dover Port Health Authority to support operations at Dover, indeed Defra has already invested significantly in additional capacity and has provided over £14.4m since October 2022 for port health authority operations at the port of Dover.