The NPA has called on the government to ‘step up’ and act immediately on the damning findings of a report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee into the flow of illegal meat imports into the UK.
In a report published on Monday, the committee concludes that ‘alarming amounts of meat and dairy products are now being illegally imported into Great Britain for both personal consumption and sale’.
During a visit to the Port of Dover in March by members of the cross-party committee, one worker told them they had ‘found an entire pig stuffed inside a suitcase; its legs cut off badly so that it could fit inside’.
Among the key findings and recommendations, MPs:
- Contested Defra’s reassurance that ‘intelligence led checks’ are being performed at the border.
- Said it was ‘unacceptable’ that there is no clear, publicly available data showing the scale and nature of the illegal meat entering the country and its destination.
- Found there was no effective deterrent to meat smuggling and called on Defra to deliver a plan to immediately start fining and prosecuting repeat offenders.
- Called on Defra to create a strategy for product of animal origin (POAO) smuggling.
- Described Defra’s ban on personal imports of most meat and dairy from the EU as ‘toothless’, with prohibited animal products continuing to freely enter the UK.
- Described the 20% operational coverage for DPHA’s anti-meat smuggling operations at the Port of Dover as ‘insufficient’ and called on Defra to work with Border Force and the Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) to restore damaged relations between them.
- This includes ‘repurposing’ the Bastion Point facilities at Dover to enable more effective work in tackling the huge illegal meat import trade through the port.
NPA reaction
The NPA worked closely with EFRA on the report, providing written and oral evidence, and is referenced within it.
NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said: “This is a detailed report, informed by a range of sources, that lays bare the government’s inadequate steps to protect UK livestock from potentially devastating notifiable diseases like African swine fever and foot and mouth disease.
“We thank the EFRA Committee for taking on board our concerns, frustrations and calls for action, alongside those of so many others with a stake in this. We also thank those diligent people involved in the very difficult and under-resourced work in trying to stem the flow of these illegal imports at Dover and elsewhere.
“We know that lots of people within our industry and the agencies involved are taking this threat very seriously and doing all they can to tackle the risk.
“Now it’s time for the government to finally do the same – to absorb the findings of this report, accept where there are gaps and act comprehensively and without delay to implement its recommendations in full.”
The report cited Mrs Wilson’s warning that an outbreak of ASF in the UK would result an immediate loss of our pork export market, worth £600 million per annum; new control zones and movement restrictions on animals, people and vehicles; and culling of infected herds.
Giving evidence, she issued a stark warning that ‘Government will be complicit’ in the event of a notifiable disease outbreak ‘if they have not stopped the illegal meat, that they are entirely aware of, from coming into this country’.
Commenting after the EFRA report, she added: “This report further validates our messaging now that the flaws in its approach have been outlined so clearly and comprehensively by the EFRA Committee. There is nowhere left to hide, now. It must step up.”
Government response
A government spokesperson said: “This government has significantly increased seizures of illegal meat, restricted the import of dangerous animal products, and is investing over £200 million in a new National Biosecurity Centre.
“We will consider the recommendations of the EFRA committee as we continue to work closely with port operators, industry, trade partners and Border Force to protect our food security, farmers and economy.”