Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on (a) the Northern Ireland agrifood sector and (b) food prices of not reaching an SPS agreement with the EU by the end of the transition period.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government works closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on devolved agri-food matters and is committed to ensuring that we maximise the opportunities for Northern Ireland having left the EU. It remains committed to a New Deal for Northern Ireland, which includes appropriate commitments to help boost economic growth and Northern Ireland’s competitiveness.
The Government monitors food prices on a monthly basis through the Consumer Prices Index including Housing Costs (CPIH). The Government does not have direct control over food prices, but it constantly monitors and investigates factors and changes that can potentially have an impact on food prices. The Government works closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on devolved agri-food matters.
We want a relationship with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals and centred on free trade. We will continue to work closely with industry to promote transparency for consumers, and internationally to promote open and sustainable global markets.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any additional costs will be charged for consignments of agri-food goods entering the Single Epidemiological Unit from Great Britain following the transition period.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Northern Ireland Protocol applies European Union sanitary and phyto-sanitary law in Northern Ireland. As we acknowledged in our Command paper The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226), agrifood movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be subject to checks at points of entry to Northern Ireland, building on what already happens at ports like Belfast and Larne. A trader of a good subject to checks is not charged for the issue of health certificates but may face costs for certification. EU law provides for charges to be made for checks. The Government is making proposals to minimise requirements and associated costs for the movement of agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Products of Animal Origin moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will require an export health certificate or SPS documentary, visual and physical checks following the end of the transition period.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Northern Ireland Protocol applies European Union sanitary and phyto-sanitary law in Northern Ireland. As we acknowledged in our Command paper The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226), agrifood movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be subject to checks at points of entry to Northern Ireland, building on what already happens at ports like Belfast and Larne. A trader of a good subject to checks is not charged for the issue of health certificates but may face costs for certification. EU law provides for charges to be made for checks. The Government is making proposals to minimise requirements and associated costs for the movement of agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of goods consignments from Great Britain to Northern Ireland that contain agri-food products.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Data on flows of agri-food products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are not available from published datasets. Defra has been working with port operators, ferry companies and logistics companies to understand these flows; however, the data themselves are commercially sensitive and cannot be shared publicly.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
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 seeking an agreement with the EU on sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government is seeking agreement with the EU on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) chapter as part of the Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that would cover sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products. The chapter should build on the WTO SPS Agreement, in line with recent EU agreements such as CETA and the EU-NZ Veterinary Agreement. It should protect human, animal and plant life and health, and the environment while facilitating access to each party’s market. It should ensure parties’ SPS measures do not create unjustified barriers to trade in agri-food goods between the UK and EU. Finally, it should reflect SPS chapters in other EU preferential trade agreements, including preserving each party’s autonomy over their own SPS regimes.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which ports not in use for the purpose of the Single Epidemiological Unit the Government plans to designate as a Border Inspection Post.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Existing entry points for agri-food goods shall be expanded to provide for proportionate additional controls. This will build on what already happens at ports like Larne and Belfast for agri-food checks. We expect to request additional categories of commodities at Belfast Port, and to designate Larne Port for live animal imports. Checks are already currently carried out at Larne on all livestock entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, but the existing facility does not currently have formal EU approval.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of veterinary officials required at Border Inspection Posts in Northern Ireland for trade from Great Britain; and how many such veterinary officials have been recruited to date.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
This is a devolved matter so we cannot provide an answer. We are working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure the delivery of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether inspections of non-livestock goods from Great Britain travelling into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland include (a) animal products and (b) products of non-animal origin.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
There are currently no sanitary or phytosanitary (SPS) inspections carried out on products of animal origin (POAO) or animal by-products (ABP) travelling from Great Britain to the island of Ireland. For germinal products, risk-based post-import checks are carried out at destination.
There are SPS, regulatory and customs checks as goods arrive in Northern Ireland (NI) from third countries. This will not change as a result of the NI Protocol.
For POAO and ABP, only commercial documentation is required from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland. Germinal products require health certification.
There are no SPS inspections or documentation requirements on food not of animal origin travelling from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland.
No fees are currently charged at the single epidemiological unit for consignments from Great Britain.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what documentation the Single Epidemiological Unit requires for imports from Great Britain.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
There are currently no sanitary or phytosanitary (SPS) inspections carried out on products of animal origin (POAO) or animal by-products (ABP) travelling from Great Britain to the island of Ireland. For germinal products, risk-based post-import checks are carried out at destination.
There are SPS, regulatory and customs checks as goods arrive in Northern Ireland (NI) from third countries. This will not change as a result of the NI Protocol.
For POAO and ABP, only commercial documentation is required from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland. Germinal products require health certification.
There are no SPS inspections or documentation requirements on food not of animal origin travelling from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland.
No fees are currently charged at the single epidemiological unit for consignments from Great Britain.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what fees are currently charged at the Single Epidemiological Unit for consignments from Great Britain.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
There are currently no sanitary or phytosanitary (SPS) inspections carried out on products of animal origin (POAO) or animal by-products (ABP) travelling from Great Britain to the island of Ireland. For germinal products, risk-based post-import checks are carried out at destination.
There are SPS, regulatory and customs checks as goods arrive in Northern Ireland (NI) from third countries. This will not change as a result of the NI Protocol.
For POAO and ABP, only commercial documentation is required from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland. Germinal products require health certification.
There are no SPS inspections or documentation requirements on food not of animal origin travelling from Great Britain into the single epidemiological unit on the island of Ireland.
No fees are currently charged at the single epidemiological unit for consignments from Great Britain.