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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2019 to Question 257548, what further collaboration his Department is planning with (a) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (b) Border Force following that meeting with the Immigration Minister.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), as an executive agency of Defra, delivers Defra’s animal health and welfare and plant health policy, including in the area of illegal dog imports, which was discussed at the Ministerial meeting in question. APHA and Defra colleagues are in continual communication about how to best shape and deliver this important policy area.

Regarding further collaboration between Defra and Border Force, we are taking forward our work to disrupt illegal imports of dogs as part of a wider refresh of our engagement at points of entry. Specifically, this includes APHA working more closely with Border Force to further improve operational processes at port, as well as exploring options for more mutual sharing of intelligence and intelligence led work.