Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to publish a timetable for implementing legislative proposals on the use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
We recently introduced legislation to the Environment Bill to help to ensure that key forest risk commodities used in the UK are not contributing to illegal deforestation or habitat conversion. This initiative is in line with the recommendations of the Global Resource Initiative taskforce, widely supportive feedback to our public consultation on the proposal, as well as our international objectives at the upcoming Glasgow United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).
We are the first country to introduce such legislation. We intend to move swiftly to lay the necessary secondary legislation. Subject to the passage of the Environment Bill and consultation, our aim is to do so shortly after the November COP26 Climate conference where we will be convening a global dialogue on trade in forest and agricultural commodities that we will draw on as we finalise our approach.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions are taking place with the Irish Government and the European Commission to enable pet and guide/assistance dog movements between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The health and documentary requirements for pet travel to the EU are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU rules also apply to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. There are no derogations for assistance dogs under the legal framework of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
We will continue to press the European Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland, recognising the high standards of animal health that the Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland share. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA’s NIDirect website, and to Ireland on DAFMs website.
In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland have recently published guidance on a pragmatic enforcement approach to pets entering from Great Britain. NI-based pets/assistance dogs returning to Northern Ireland from Great Britain can continue to use an NI-issued EU Pet Passport to re-enter Northern Ireland and will not need an animal health certificate.
We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the UK Government did not meet the 30 June deadline for the submission of proposals for the designation of Border Control Posts in Northern Ireland to the European Commission.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The UK submitted applications to the European Commission on 30 June for approval of facilities to conduct checks on agrifood goods at points of entry to Northern Ireland. These are for the purposes of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures at Larne and Foyle ports, and for existing SPS inspection posts to be expanded at Belfast and Warrenpoint ports. These applications fulfil our obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.