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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Chinese authorities on the banning of the export of crabs from the UK to China; and if she will make a statement.

I share the hon. Member’s concern that the UK is currently unable to export live crabs to China. Defra officials are working closely with the Food Standards Agency, industry representatives and Devolved Administrations and have engaged extensively with the Chinese authorities, including through our Agriculture Counsellor in Beijing. We are scheduling a technical delegation to visit China to identify terms on which exports might recommence, and to emphasise the need for consistent application of testing for crabs caught in the same common fisheries area.