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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a three-month trial for planned border control posts from 30 April 2024 that enables the operation of a dual BCP and place of destination inspection system.

The Government is committed to implementing the full controls set out in the Border Target Operating Model, including physical inspections at Border Control Posts (BCPs) and Control Points (CPs).

The Place of Destination (PoD) scheme was introduced as a temporary measure to enable the performance of checks on EU imports of high-priority plants and plant products during the transitional stages of introducing new imports controls. From 30 April 2024, the POD scheme will come to an end and all regulated plants and plant products must come through a BCP or CP for identity and physical checks to be carried out.

BCPs and CPs are purpose built for SPS checks and staffed by experienced and knowledgeable Plant Health & Seed Inspectors. They are essential to protecting our food supply-chains and agricultural sector from disease outbreaks that would cause significant economic harm.

Defra is confident that existing and new BCP infrastructure will have sufficient capacity and capability to handle the volume of expected checks outlines in the Border Target Operating Model, with robust, dynamic, and effective operational measures ready to call upon if needed. Defra is working with existing BCPs to ensure they are prepared, and the Government has built new infrastructure at critical locations.