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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it remains his policy that the new health and safety checks for EU imports will begin on 30 April 2024.

Yes, the guidance for businesses, Government IT systems and infrastructure are in place, or are on track, to ensure delivery of the BTOM milestones.

Checks are commencing from 30 April and medium and high-risk goods posing the greatest biosecurity risk are being prioritised as implementation builds up to full check rates and high levels of compliance. DEFRA will gradually increase changes in controlled stages to balance biosecurity risk and maintain trade flows whilst minimising disruption risk at the border. Current check rates applied to rest of world consignments will be maintained, or set to agreed BTOM levels, and will not be impacted by this incremental approach.