The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has launched inquiries into the UK’s national biosecurity and the food supply chain.
The cross-party committee of MPs has issued call for evidence to inform its inquiry into biosecurity measures for animal and plant imports to the UK.
Through its focus on biosecurity at the border, the committee will examine the stringency of biosecurity controls, as well as their impact on international trade following the introduction of new animal and plant health checks on goods from the EU last year.
The committee points out that its inquiry comes amid continued concerns that large quantities of illegal meat are being brought into the UK. In October, the BBC reported that the amount of illegal meat seized by Border Force officials alone doubled from almost 35,000kg in 2022/23 to more than 70,000kg in 2023/24.
“Illegal meat imports carry the risk of diseases including African swine fever, which pose a serious threat to the UK agricultural sector,” the committee said.
MPs will investigate the efficacy of biosecurity measures and what immediate improvements can be made to personal and commercial import controls in advance of, or in the absence of, a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) or veterinary agreement with the EU.
Over the span of the Committee’s broader inquiry on animal and plant health, MPs will also scrutinise the resourcing and work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
EFRA chair Alistair Carmichael MP, said: “The biosecurity measures we have in this country are of the utmost importance. Any weak points expose the UK to serious risks, such as African swine fever, which would have catastrophic consequences for the agriculture sector.
“In this inquiry, we are setting out to assess the adequacy of our biosecurity measures and will consider what could be done to strengthen biosecurity at the border.
“We want to hear from the wide range of stakeholders with an interest in biosecurity, from the veterinary sector to the agricultural, forestry and horticultural sectors, to workers and businesses in the food and drink supply chain, and enforcement bodies for welfare, standards and hygiene, such as local authorities and port health authorities.”
Call for evidence
To inform its inquiry, the Committee is inviting written evidence submissions on any or all of the below points, by 23:59 on Wednesday, January 29.
- The adequacy of personal import controls on animals, plants and their products and the enforcement of controls
- The adequacy of SPS controls on commercial imports, their enforcement, and the impact on businesses
- The performance of Defra and its agencies (such as the APHA) in delivering the Border Target Operating Model and communicating and engaging with stakeholders
- How any concerns detailed in your submission may be remedied (in advance, or in the absence, of an SPS agreement with the EU).
Written evidence can be submitted here.
Supply chain inquiry
EFRA is also looking into the resilience and vulnerabilities of the UK’s food supply chain. The Fairness in the food supply chain inquiry, launched before Christmas, will see MPs examine a range of key issues affecting the sector, including the levels of support for domestic food production, access to affordable and healthy food, labour shortages in the supply chain, and food prices and household food insecurity.
MPs will issue calls for evidence on a regular basis, and will track the Government’s work on food security, scrutinising the Government’s national food strategy, due in 2025.
Mr Carmichael said: “Our Committee will investigate the breadth of issues facing the sector, including the interacting factors that affect the UK’s food supply chains. We will look at how the Government can ensure greater fairness and transparency in supply chains and promote food security both at a national and a household level.”
Call for evidence
To inform its inquiry, the committee will refer to evidence gathered by the predecessor EFRA Committee on the below topics, but would welcome new or updated submissions on the below, by Friday January 24.
- the effectiveness of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice
- the potential merits and demerits of expanding the scope of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice
- other potential reforms to the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, including the potential benefits and risks of lowering the turnover threshold for which retailers are covered
- adequacy of reviews into contractual practices in agricultural sectors and effectiveness of introduction of fair dealing powers under the Agriculture Act
- the benefits and risks of a sector specific approach to the introduction of fair dealing powers
- scope for collaboration between the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator and Groceries Code Adjudicator.
You can submit evdidence here.