Speeches by Dollimore.

“You referenced earlier in your evidence conversations with DEFRA and engagement with DEFRA. I wanted to get specific about that. I understand that the MP for Dover, Mike Tapp, had convened a meeting with the DEFRA Minister last year to discuss these issues, which you were part of. Are you referring specifically to the …”

“I am just conscious of time and I want to cover the organised crime element here as well. Just briefly before I do, Helen, just on that point about the conditions in which vans are being opened, do you think there is a risk of spread from products to humans?”

“Is there no testing done of the products? Do they just get destroyed?”

“Moving on to organised crime, David, I am interested in your perspective on what the reasons are behind this organised crime that we are seeing. Where do you think the markets for these meat products is? Where are they going?”

“As the man responsible for Border Force in the south‑east, you could not tell me if there is any organised crime going on or not.”

“Is that because you do not know or because it is classified?”

“Helen, I will bring you in shortly. David, just to press on this point, what do you think the motivation is behind instances that have been reported by Lucy and are extensively detailed in the written submissions? Who do you think is behind these crimes?”

“You have no idea where the goods were destined to go.”

“Do you notice any trend in terms of, for example, the vehicles that you are stopping? Do they have similar number plates destination‑wise or origin‑wise, or are they just a whole range of different number plates with different origins?”

“There is a reference in the summary of the National Food Crime Unit’s report to where these products are going. It says, “The servicing of consumer demand for culturally preferred products through the slaughter, unlawful processing or importation of lamb and pork”. I just wondered whether Helen or Lucy could comment on…”

“Is that households or restaurants?”

“I know that we have the report from the National Food Crime Unit, which has identified some key themes, but it feels very much to me, when reading through those key themes, that people are talking around the issues and using a lot of jargon. I just wonder if you or Lucy could give us some real-life examples of where th…”

“You are seeing a high level of vehicles stopped that have illegal meat from eastern Europe.”

“I thank the Minister for her statement and her commitment to driving up standards in all our schools—and I gently invite those on the Conservative Benches who seem to think that multi-academy trusts are a panacea for everything to take a look at the experience of my constituents in Hastings and Rye, where we have been …”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“rose—”

“I thank the hon. Member, my constituency neighbour, for giving way and I congratulate him on securing this debate. We both care deeply about our three local hospitals and I, too, pay tribute to the work of our amazing NHS staff. Recently, I was at one of those local hospitals with a family member and I will be there ag…”

“I welcome the Labour Government’s confirmation of funding, which will help the Conquest hospital in Hastings, part of the East Sussex Healthcare trust, and other hospitals that my constituents use. It comes alongside the Chancellor’s announcement of a big package of support in the Budget, with record investment in our …”

“That was a pipe you were aware of.”

“Would the incident in Rye have been one like that?”