Every parliamentary written question tabled by Stella Creasy this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–6 of 6 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department have been assigned to preparations for a EU-UK agreement on a common sanitary and phytosanitary area.
Negotiating and delivering an SPS Agreement with the EU is a whole of Government effort. It is a big priority for the department. We are working very closely with the Cabinet Office. Defra’s trade staff work flexibly across trade deals according to demand.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her department has made of the number and scope of regulations in which there has been (a) active and (b) passive divergence between UK and European Union sanitary and phytosanitary rules; and whether her Department intends to prevent further divergence while EU-UK negotiations on a common sanitary and phytosanitary area are in progress.
When it has been deemed appropriate for GB policy to actively diverge from EU regulations, steps have always been taken to consider how a change could impact businesses looking to sell into UK, NI and EU markets, and if they will be required to adhere to different regulations and systems for each. The Government has begun negotiations with the EU on the SPS agreement. It is too early to assess the nature of the workloads which will result should an agreement be reached, but it is expected to be substantial.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the yellow legged Asian hornet on UK (a) pollinators and (b) food security; and what the role is of the National Bee Unit in helping to tackle the potential impacts of that hornet.
Over £500 million a year is contributed by bees and other pollinating insects to UK agriculture, through improvements to crop quality and quantity. If Asian hornet (also known as Yellow Legged Hornet) were to become established in the UK, this could have a major impact on pollinators. With respect to food security the impact would be greatest on crops which are dependent on insects for pollination such as apples, strawberries, field beans and oilseed rape. Since 2016 the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) have responded to incursions of Yellow Legged Hornet (YLH) into Great Britain. The NBU has developed a fine-tuned and effective response which allows them to find and destroy nests to prevent YLH establishing.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to respond to the letter from the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention of 12 March 2024.
The UK welcomed the creation of the Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention. The Government is considering the issues raised in the Special Rapporteur's two recent letters, in the context of the UK's obligations under the Aarhus Convention. We will respond in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what the average time was for a consignment entering Sevington Border Control Post to leave following (a) a physical inspection and (b) any other inspection in each week since 30 April 2024.
Monitoring and enforcing the border controls introduced under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is undertaken collaboratively between bodies including Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Border Force and HMRC. Our checks are intelligence-led and based on biosecurity risk: It would be inappropriate for us to set out operational details such as the exact inspection details from 30 April. Checking details, such as time taken to review consignments, could be used by bad actors looking for exploitable elements of the border to facilitate illegal imports. Furthermore, this information is also commercially sensitive. HMG does not wish to impact trader choice of route as details of checks completed may advantage/disadvantage other ports as traders may BCP shop to find what appears on paper to be the “fastest route”.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the (a) number, (b) value and (c) repayment rate of invoices issued at each border control point for charges incurred since 30 April 2024.
HM Government is responsible for setting charges on imports coming into GB to recover operating costs for the government-run BCP facilities serving the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. Further detail on the Common User Charge including on invoicing and ongoing support will be published imminently. The Common User Charge (CUC) rate will not apply at privately-run ports; it is up to individual commercial ports to determine their own charging structure and rates.