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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of (1) the availability of kosher food in Northern Ireland, and (2) the restrictions imposed by the provisions of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, when fully implemented, on the movement of kosher food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

We recognise the importance of ensuring the Jewish community in Northern Ireland can continue to access kosher meats.

We have been made aware that a supplier decided to stop supplying kosher meat to Northern Ireland. They explained that this was owing to difficulty for them complying with the Official Controls Regulation which applies in Northern Ireland by virtue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

We have been working with those concerned to identify alternative options. An alternative GB supplier of kosher meats has now been identified.

Goods moving from GB-NI would not need any certification under the proposal set out in the Government’s July 2021 Command Paper, Northern Ireland Protocol – the way forward.