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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring Products of Animal Origin enforcement (a) powers and (b) funding to port health authorities.

The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 designate port health authorities in England, as enforcement authorities for animal products. Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9 million of funding provided to date.