Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that food standards are maintained after the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government has a clear manifesto commitment that in all of our trade negotiations we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will transfer all existing provisions onto the UK statute book. This includes EU Council Directive 96/22/EC which bans the import and production of meat using growth promoting hormone or beta agonist treatments, existing food safety provisions ensuring no products, other than potable water are approved to decontaminate poultry carcasses, all EU maximum residue levels (MRLs) for plant protection products (as they are at the point of exit) and the standards for how they are set, as well as all EU import standards relating to food safety and animal welfare.
At the end of the transition period, we will also repatriate the functions of audit and inspection currently carried out by the European Commission to ensure that trading partners continue to meet our import conditions. We will also be verifying that requirements are carried out as stipulated through checks at the border. This will provide a robust system to maintain our high standards.
The independent advice of our food regulators, the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, and rigorous processes will continue to ensure that all food imports into the UK are safe and meet the relevant UK product rules and regulations.
The Agriculture Act 2020 contains a duty for Ministers to report to Parliament on whether, or to what extent, commitments in new Free Trade Agreements, relating to agricultural goods, are consistent with maintaining UK levels of statutory protection in relation to environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards.
In July the Government established the Trade and Agriculture Commission, an independent advisory board set up to advise and inform the Government’s trade policies on environmental and animal welfare standards in food production. The Government has now extended the Trade and Agriculture Commission, and committed to place it on a full statutory footing via the Trade Bill, with a provision to review it every three years.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that meat and poultry imported from overseas has been raised in compliance with UK guidelines on the use of antibiotics in farming; what tests are carried out on imported meat and poultry; and whether the results of such tests are published.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Imported products of animal origin are monitored based on the nature of the products and the risk they represent, as required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2130, which is part of EU retained law.
The UK Government is committed to working with global partners to improve standards on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), for example through participation in the Codex Alimentarius AMR Task Force revision of the “Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance”, as well as by promoting global ‘one health’ action on AMR through our commitments under the UK National Action Plan for AMR 2019-24.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect on the economy of a dual tariff regime for protecting UK (a) beef, (b) poultry, (c) pig, (d) dairy and (e) egg farmers from imports that do not meet UK standards; and what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on those tariffs.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government prepares a scoping assessment examining the economic impacts of planned Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) ahead of each of its new trade negotiations. These scoping assessments for the US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are available on the gov.uk website and include an assessment of the possible impacts of tariff liberalisation on the UK agriculture sector.
We will not compromise on our high standards of food safety and animal welfare in any trade negotiations.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the ban on chemical washes for chicken is maintained after the end of the transition period; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
This Government is committed to upholding our high food standards and rules on food safety will be retained in domestic UK law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will transfer existing food safety provisions, including related import requirements, onto the UK statute book.
This includes the law that no products, other than potable water, are approved in the UK to decontaminate poultry carcases. This applies to both domestic and imported products and will continue to operate independently in UK law after the Transition Period.
The UK currently applies prohibitions on the use of growth promoting hormone treatments, including beta agonists and ractopamine, as well as prohibitions on the sale of animal products derived from animals treated with them. These rules will be retained at the end of the Transition Period.
There is no import ban in the UK or EU on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin or on eggs from battery caged hens; in both cases, however, consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments.
As we committed to in our manifesto, this Government will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the ban on the chlorine-washing of poultry carcasses applies to (a) peracetic acid, (b) lactic acid and (c) other pathogen reduction treatments; whether it is the Government's policy to maintain that ban after the end of the transition period; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
This Government is committed to upholding our high food standards and rules on food safety will be retained in domestic UK law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will transfer existing food safety provisions, including related import requirements, onto the UK statute book.
This includes the law that no products, other than potable water, are approved in the UK to decontaminate poultry carcases. This applies to both domestic and imported products and will continue to operate independently in UK law after the Transition Period.
The UK currently applies prohibitions on the use of growth promoting hormone treatments, including beta agonists and ractopamine, as well as prohibitions on the sale of animal products derived from animals treated with them. These rules will be retained at the end of the Transition Period.
There is no import ban in the UK or EU on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin or on eggs from battery caged hens; in both cases, however, consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments.
As we committed to in our manifesto, this Government will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent the import of (a) chlorine or acid-washed chicken, (b) hormone-treated beef, (c) ractopamine fed pork, (d) dairy products from bovine somatotropin treated cows, and (e) eggs from battery caged hens; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The approach of HM Government to food standards in trade deals is clear. We remain firmly committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards.
As we take back control of our laws from the EU, we will decide how we set and maintain our own laws, standards and regulations. When the Transition Period ends, we will be a global leader in environmental protection and animal welfare standards, maintaining the high-quality of our produce for consumers at home and overseas.
The Hon. Gentleman will know that some standards, such as the ban on the use of growth-promoting hormones, are already in domestic legislation. Others, such as the ban on chlorine washing of poultry, will be brought onto our statute book through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
The United Kingdom’s food standards, for both domestic production and imports, are overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. These agencies provide independent advice to HM Government and the devolved administration in Scotland respectively. They will continue to do so in order to ensure that all food imports comply with the United Kingdom’s high standards.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the top five countries were for chicken imports to the UK in each of the last five years.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The attached table shows the top five countries importing chicken meat into the UK in the last five years. It is based on Defra analysis of HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics.
Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the value was of imported chicken to the UK in 2019; and what the top five countries were for imported chicken to this country in that year.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
According to the latest HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics, UK imports of chicken in 2019 were worth £1.1 billion.
The top five countries importing chicken into the UK in 2019 were as follows:
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) tonnage and (b) value of (i) beef, (ii) sheep meat, (iii) pork, (iv) dairy and (v) poultry products have been imported in the last three years, by country of source.
Answered by George Eustice
According to Defra analysis of HM Revenue & Customs overseas trade statistics, UK imports in the last three years were as follows:
Beef & veal and beef products:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Tonnes | 340,000 | 360,000 | 360,000 |
Value | £1.2bn | £1.3bn | £1.4bn |
The Irish Republic was the top import market for beef and veal, with 700,000 tonnes worth £2.6 billion over the three years. Second was Brazil with 80,000 tonnes worth £274 million. Third was the Netherlands with 60,000 tonnes worth £262 million.
Sheep meat:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Tonnes | 90,000 | 80,000 | 78,000 |
Value | £345m | £369m | £373m |
New Zealand was the top import market for sheep meat, with 170,000 tonnes worth £790 million over the three years. Second was Australia with 32,000 tonnes worth £140 million. Third was the Irish Republic with 23,000 tonnes worth £78 million.
Pork, bacon & ham:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Tonnes | 680,000 | 690,000 | 670,000 |
Value | £1.3bn | £1.5bn | £1.4bn |
Denmark was the top import market for pork, bacon and ham, with 690,000 tonnes worth £1.3 billion over the three years. Second was the Netherlands with 450,000 tonnes worth £890 million. Third was Germany with 360,000 tonnes worth £754 million.
Dairy products:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Tonnes | 1,400,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,600,000 |
Value | £2.6bn | £3.0bn | £3.3bn |
The Irish Republic was the top import market for dairy products, with 1,300,000 tonnes worth £2.2 billion over the three years. Second was France with 840,000 tonnes worth £1.5 billion. Third was Germany with 700,000 tonnes worth £1.1 billion.
Poultry meat and poultry products:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Tonnes | 860,000 | 850,000 | 860,000 |
Value | £2.0bn | £2.2bn | £2.4bn |
The Netherlands was the top import market for poultry meat and poultry products, with 700,000 tonnes worth £1.9 billion over the three years. Second was Thailand with 440,000 tonnes worth £1.3 billion. Third was Poland with 380,000 tonnes worth £929 million.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) value and (b) proportion of market share was of imports of (i) beef, (ii) sheep meat, (iii) pork, (iv) dairy and (v) poultry products in each nation of the UK over the last three years.
Answered by George Eustice
Data at the level of detail requested is not available.
According to Defra analysis of HM Revenue & Customs regional trade statistics, UK imports by region over the last three years (2016 to 2018) were as follows:
Meat and meat preparations:
UK region | Import value (16-18) | Share of imports |
England | £16bn | 81% |
Wales | £378m | 1.9% |
Scotland | £532m | 2.7% |
Northern Ireland | £1.5bn | 7.5% |
Unallocated regional trade | £1.4bn | 7.0% |
Dairy and eggs:
UK region | Import value (16-18) | Share of imports |
England | £7.2bn | 77% |
Wales | £172m | 1.8% |
Scotland | £281m | 3.0% |
Northern Ireland | £511m | 5.4% |
Unallocated regional trade | £1.2bn | 13% |