Committee publication · Correspondence · 10 June 2025
Correspondence from the Minister for Biosecurity regarding biosecurity at the border, dated 5 June 2025
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Animal and plant health
Summary
Baroness Hayman responds to concerns about illegal meat smuggling at UK borders, rebutting claims that illegal food products are routinely found on UK high streets. She outlines Defra's multi-agency enforcement approach, confirms £3.1m funding for Dover Port Health Authority in 2025/26, and clarifies legal powers and operational arrangements for border control and detection of undeclared illegal imports.
Key findings
- Defra funds Dover Port Health Authority with £3.1m for 2025/26 to support detection of illegal imports at the short straits, working alongside Border Force.
- The government introduced safeguard measures in 2022 restricting undeclared personal imports of pork and pork products to 2kg, with transitional funding for port health authorities ending in April 2024.
- Border Force, not Port Health Authorities, holds legal powers to stop vehicles and passengers and check for undeclared illegal imports; port health authority staff can only support in seizing detected illegal animal products.
- Minister disputes characterisation that illegal food products 'can routinely be found on our highstreets', calling this an exaggeration despite acknowledging inland local authority seizures.
- Government is committed to negotiating an EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to remove trade barriers while protecting biosecurity, and plans a financially sustainable longer-term approach to illegal meat smuggling.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Alistair Carmichael MP, Lucy Manzano, Defra, Home Office, Food Standards Agency, Border Force, Dover Port Health Authority
Notable line
“… illegal meat smuggling, which may pose threats to animal health, food safety and public health.”
Key Quotes
“Defra is not complacent about illegal meat smuggling, which may pose threats to animal health, food safety and public health.”
“I believe that the claim that illegal food products 'can routinely be found on our highstreets' is an exaggeration.”
“We have offered £3.1m to Dover Port Health Authority for 2025/26 to support the detection of illegal imports at the short straits, alongside Border Force.”
“It is important to clarify that Port Health Authorities do not have these powers.”
“I plan to visit the Port of Dover to see the facilities and operations for myself.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗