Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the (a) eligibility criteria and (b) application process for the compensation scheme for seafood exporters and fishing boats affected by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and how much funding will be available for each nation of the UK through that scheme.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We expect to publish the eligibility criteria and application process for the Seafood Disruption Support Scheme in the week beginning 8 February.
Funding will be delivered centrally at a UK level based on the qualifying applications. Therefore we are not able to identify in advance the funding split between the nations of the UK.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the £23 million compensation announced for the fishing industry, how much of that funding will be available to organisations for hiring and training staff for customs declarations.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government has put in place measures to support businesses and to ensure that exports keep moving. The £23 million announced for the fishing industry will provide financial support towards verifiable losses incurred by seafood exporting businesses.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to ensure the equitable distribution of food in the event that food volumes crossing the English Channel from the European continent are diminished from 1 January 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain which is experienced in dealing with situations that can cause disruptions to supply.
The Government has carried out extensive planning working closely with the food industry and the Devolved Administrations to prepare for the end of the transition period and ensure continuity of food supply across the UK.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of animal medicines used in the UK are produced in the EU.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
81% of veterinary medicines authorised for use in the UK are produced at manufacturing sites based in the EU.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is taking steps to ensure the supply of animal medicines into UK after 1 January 2020 in the potential event of delays at ferry ports; and whether his Department has plans to import animal medicines to the UK from the EU by air after that date.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra has well-established mechanisms for dealing with supply issues as and when they arise and works closely with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry to detect potential problems at the earliest point.
Veterinary medicines manufacturers and suppliers have prepared for the end of the transition period by establishing appropriate stock levels and working with delivery partners so they are ready to meet the new customs and border requirements. Many veterinary medicines transit into the UK from manufacturing sites in the EU and do so via the short straits. This ferry crossing is vulnerable to disruption and as such pharmaceutical companies have been considering alternative logistics options. Veterinary medicines are classified as Category 1 goods and can access Government secured freight capacity. These contingencies provide assurance that there are ways to facilitate the ongoing flow of veterinary medicines into the UK.
In addition, veterinary surgeons will continue to be able to use the Special Import Scheme to apply for alternative medicines to be imported where there is no suitable UK authorised medicine available in the UK. Due to the small order size and immediate need, it is usual that these medicines arrive via air freight.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to meet the potential increase in costs of animal medicines after 1 January 2021.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) – the UK regulator of veterinary medicines – charges fees for authorising applications from companies for marketing authorisations for veterinary medicines on a cost recovery basis. From 1 January 2021 the VMD’s fees will continue to apply for each GB and NI veterinary medicine marketing authorisation. To minimise the regulatory costs to industry and avoid any consequential price increases to UK consumers, we continue to explore opportunities to introduce fee reductions wherever possible.
The prices of veterinary medicines are a commercial consideration for the private veterinary pharmaceutical industry who manufacture and market these medicines, as well as for retailers. The Government has no influence over the price of UK medicines and there will be no extra costs associated with the Government’s regulation of veterinary medicines.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans he has with respect to the UK's future relationship with the EU in the event of an interruption in the supply of animal medicines after the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. Our thorough preparations for leaving the EU in 2019, alongside the lessons we have learned during the Covid-19 response, provide a robust foundation for end of Transition Period planning on food supply. We are working alongside industry and across Government, including with the Devolved Administrations, to plan for the end of this year. The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry, which is experienced in dealing with situations that can cause disruptions to supply.
In terms of disruption at the border, the Border Operating Model (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-operating-model) provides greater detail on how the border with the EU will work following the end of the Transition Period and the mechanisms which will seek to mitigate the impact of additional volumes of traffic. We will, for example, have a contingency measure to prioritise single loads of fresh seafood and day old chicks which met the bar of hitting two out of three of the following criteria: perishability, animal welfare considerations, and economic impact on a specific geographical area. Defra is working very closely with other Government departments and local stakeholders, such as the Kent Resilience Forum, to ensure that those wishing to trade with the EU can do so in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Defra has made regulatory provisions for all veterinary medicines currently authorised for use in the UK via an EU approval system to continue to be authorised in the UK after the end of the transition period. These products can remain on the UK market for sale and supply in their existing packaging.
Defra’s close working relationship with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry has enabled the industry to prepare for the end of the transition period, including taking mitigating actions in the event of disruption to supply. These activities include maximising stocks within the UK and diverting supply routes away from the short straits, where the greatest risk of interruption to supply is posed, that being from border disruption. In addition, veterinary medicines are classified as eligible for use of the Government Secured Freight Capacity.
We have well-established mechanisms for dealing with supply issues as and when they arise. Enhanced early warning indicator systems are now in place which will provide early warnings of demand exceeding supply. The prescribing cascade legislation, which for availability and animal welfare reasons permits veterinary surgeons to import veterinary medicines from outside the UK, allows sourcing of products from countries beyond the EU.
Almost all fresh produce (including fruit, vegetables and cut flowers) from the EU will not be subject to any plant heath import controls until April 2021. From April, fresh produce will require a phytosanitary certificate and some goods will also require pre-notification. Importantly, there will continue to be no physical checks required at the border until July 2021 for almost all produce. From July onwards physical checks will be undertaken at approved designated Border Control posts on a risk basis. Any required checks will be performed as quickly as possible to minimise delays to the passage of goods and maintain border flow.
The phased approach will allow time for trade to adapt to the new import requirements for EU goods.
GB plant health authorities are undertaking significant recruitment to increase the number of plant health inspectors in order to service the demand for import and export checks and certification. We will have sufficient resources to meet demand from 1 January 2021 and ensure minimal disruption to trade. GB plant health services are currently reviewing their operating hours to make sure that biosecurity standards will continue to be met and strengthened in ways that support trade and the smooth flow of goods while minimising new burdens on businesses.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans he has with respect to the UK's future relationship with the EU in the event of a UK-based companies experiencing losses through waste of perishable produce as a result of delays in importing and exporting after the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. Our thorough preparations for leaving the EU in 2019, alongside the lessons we have learned during the Covid-19 response, provide a robust foundation for end of Transition Period planning on food supply. We are working alongside industry and across Government, including with the Devolved Administrations, to plan for the end of this year. The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry, which is experienced in dealing with situations that can cause disruptions to supply.
In terms of disruption at the border, the Border Operating Model (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-operating-model) provides greater detail on how the border with the EU will work following the end of the Transition Period and the mechanisms which will seek to mitigate the impact of additional volumes of traffic. We will, for example, have a contingency measure to prioritise single loads of fresh seafood and day old chicks which met the bar of hitting two out of three of the following criteria: perishability, animal welfare considerations, and economic impact on a specific geographical area. Defra is working very closely with other Government departments and local stakeholders, such as the Kent Resilience Forum, to ensure that those wishing to trade with the EU can do so in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Defra has made regulatory provisions for all veterinary medicines currently authorised for use in the UK via an EU approval system to continue to be authorised in the UK after the end of the transition period. These products can remain on the UK market for sale and supply in their existing packaging.
Defra’s close working relationship with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry has enabled the industry to prepare for the end of the transition period, including taking mitigating actions in the event of disruption to supply. These activities include maximising stocks within the UK and diverting supply routes away from the short straits, where the greatest risk of interruption to supply is posed, that being from border disruption. In addition, veterinary medicines are classified as eligible for use of the Government Secured Freight Capacity.
We have well-established mechanisms for dealing with supply issues as and when they arise. Enhanced early warning indicator systems are now in place which will provide early warnings of demand exceeding supply. The prescribing cascade legislation, which for availability and animal welfare reasons permits veterinary surgeons to import veterinary medicines from outside the UK, allows sourcing of products from countries beyond the EU.
Almost all fresh produce (including fruit, vegetables and cut flowers) from the EU will not be subject to any plant heath import controls until April 2021. From April, fresh produce will require a phytosanitary certificate and some goods will also require pre-notification. Importantly, there will continue to be no physical checks required at the border until July 2021 for almost all produce. From July onwards physical checks will be undertaken at approved designated Border Control posts on a risk basis. Any required checks will be performed as quickly as possible to minimise delays to the passage of goods and maintain border flow.
The phased approach will allow time for trade to adapt to the new import requirements for EU goods.
GB plant health authorities are undertaking significant recruitment to increase the number of plant health inspectors in order to service the demand for import and export checks and certification. We will have sufficient resources to meet demand from 1 January 2021 and ensure minimal disruption to trade. GB plant health services are currently reviewing their operating hours to make sure that biosecurity standards will continue to be met and strengthened in ways that support trade and the smooth flow of goods while minimising new burdens on businesses.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans he has with respect to the UK's future relationship with the EU in the event of food shortages in shops after the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. Our thorough preparations for leaving the EU in 2019, alongside the lessons we have learned during the Covid-19 response, provide a robust foundation for end of Transition Period planning on food supply. We are working alongside industry and across Government, including with the Devolved Administrations, to plan for the end of this year. The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry, which is experienced in dealing with situations that can cause disruptions to supply.
In terms of disruption at the border, the Border Operating Model (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-border-operating-model) provides greater detail on how the border with the EU will work following the end of the Transition Period and the mechanisms which will seek to mitigate the impact of additional volumes of traffic. We will, for example, have a contingency measure to prioritise single loads of fresh seafood and day old chicks which met the bar of hitting two out of three of the following criteria: perishability, animal welfare considerations, and economic impact on a specific geographical area. Defra is working very closely with other Government departments and local stakeholders, such as the Kent Resilience Forum, to ensure that those wishing to trade with the EU can do so in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Defra has made regulatory provisions for all veterinary medicines currently authorised for use in the UK via an EU approval system to continue to be authorised in the UK after the end of the transition period. These products can remain on the UK market for sale and supply in their existing packaging.
Defra’s close working relationship with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry has enabled the industry to prepare for the end of the transition period, including taking mitigating actions in the event of disruption to supply. These activities include maximising stocks within the UK and diverting supply routes away from the short straits, where the greatest risk of interruption to supply is posed, that being from border disruption. In addition, veterinary medicines are classified as eligible for use of the Government Secured Freight Capacity.
We have well-established mechanisms for dealing with supply issues as and when they arise. Enhanced early warning indicator systems are now in place which will provide early warnings of demand exceeding supply. The prescribing cascade legislation, which for availability and animal welfare reasons permits veterinary surgeons to import veterinary medicines from outside the UK, allows sourcing of products from countries beyond the EU.
Almost all fresh produce (including fruit, vegetables and cut flowers) from the EU will not be subject to any plant heath import controls until April 2021. From April, fresh produce will require a phytosanitary certificate and some goods will also require pre-notification. Importantly, there will continue to be no physical checks required at the border until July 2021 for almost all produce. From July onwards physical checks will be undertaken at approved designated Border Control posts on a risk basis. Any required checks will be performed as quickly as possible to minimise delays to the passage of goods and maintain border flow.
The phased approach will allow time for trade to adapt to the new import requirements for EU goods.
GB plant health authorities are undertaking significant recruitment to increase the number of plant health inspectors in order to service the demand for import and export checks and certification. We will have sufficient resources to meet demand from 1 January 2021 and ensure minimal disruption to trade. GB plant health services are currently reviewing their operating hours to make sure that biosecurity standards will continue to be met and strengthened in ways that support trade and the smooth flow of goods while minimising new burdens on businesses.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which species of fish are referred to in the Bilateral Fisheries Memoranda with (a) Greenland and (b) Iceland; and what effect those agreements have on fishing quotas.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The aims of the bilateral Memoranda of Understanding with Greenland and Iceland are to promote discussion and cooperation on fisheries issues with both of the two countries. Fishing opportunities form no part of either of these Memoranda. Accordingly, no species of fish are referred to and neither Memorandum has any effect on fishing quotas.