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

To ask His Majesty's Government what regulatory flexibilities for small abattoirs they are seeking to preserve or introduce through the negotiations on a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the European Union.

Negotiations with the EU on the SPS Agreement are ongoing. Under the proposed agreement, as set out in the Common Understanding published in May 2025, we expect to align with EU rules on sanitary and food safety issues. We expect this to provide access to regulatory relief for small abattoirs through the 5% Flexibility Rule. This would expand the number of smaller operators eligible for reduced Official Veterinarian attendance, helping to lower costs and allowing greater flexibility in the timing of post-mortem checks.