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

To ask Her Majesty's Government why, as reported in the National Audit Office report on Defra's Progress in Implementing EU Exit, Defra was not permitted to engage with the veterinary industry in April; and which authority prevented that engagement.

Since March, Defra has engaged privately with stakeholders in the veterinary industry to make progress on delivery planning for leaving the EU. Defra welcomes input from any interested parties to help inform our work in preparing for leaving the EU.

Public engagement with the veterinary industry required wider interests across Government to be taken into account, including negotiation sensitivities and the need for consistent messages to different industries.