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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Border Target Operating Model on biosecurity.

The Border Targeting Operating Model (BTOM) successfully delivers a science based dynamic approach to border controls and is designed to change responsively to ensure controls are targeted where risk is greatest. This will provide assurance to our trading partners and the UK consumer that imported food and feed products meet our high safety standards. This approach seeks to bring in critical biosecurity controls as soon as possible, but uses a global risk-based model, data and technology to reduce the burden on businesses wherever possible.

Health certification will provide assurance that an official vet or plant health inspector in the exporting country has checked the goods and confirmed that they are free of pests or diseases and comply with GB’s import health requirements. Inspections increase our surveillance capability to intercept non-compliant goods, detect emerging pest or disease threats, and identify any problems with the certification process in exporting countries. Local authority food standards officials have found examples of pork imported from EU countries with widespread African Swine Fever (ASF). Such countries are not allowed to export pork under EU rules due to the biosecurity threat posed by ASF. The controls in the BTOM, specifically the requirement for Export Health Certificates, would have prevented this: an official vet would refuse to certify such a consignment.