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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve administrative processes for (a) plant and (b) food imports to the UK.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on 19 May, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area which will slash costs and remove red tape. Removing the need for Export Health Certification will save trading businesses up to £200 per consignment every time goods are sent, meaning a single lorry carrying a mixed load of animal products could see reduced costs by thousands of pounds.

We are expecting to start negotiations once the EU has confirmed their mandate.

In the meantime, plant health import requirements and the requirements for products of animal origin are kept under continuous review.