Today (30th April 2024) the Conservative Government has grasped a Brexit opportunity by implementing crucial changes to the way the UK imports food, animal and plant products in order to protect the nation's biosecurity.
Dr Neil Hudson MP stood up in Parliament to pay tribute to those at our borders who do so much to keep us safe from the deeply damaging implications of animal or plant disease outbreaks which could impact food production, our precious environments, animal and human public health. The Veterinary MP also championed the measures which will now check all high and medium risk goods coming into the UK from Europe.
Having been involved as a Veterinary Inspector on the frontline of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis, Dr Hudson has worked tirelessly since his election to Parliament to make sure history does not repeat itself in this regard.
These checks will help identify public health issues such as salmonella, and build on existing safeguarding measures which identify diseases like African Swine Fever, which is widespread in certain countries across Europe and could be devastating to our pig farms.
Up until now, most goods from the EU - apart from the highest risk items like live animals and high-risk plants - have been entering the UK without checks. This was always intended to be a temporary measure to allow businesses time to adapt to any incoming changes.
Now, after having consulted with thousands of stakeholders across the UK and EU including business representative organisations and trade associations representing a broad breadth of industry, the Government is implementing checks to ensure the products we import are as safe as possible.
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"Having been involved in the frontline in the devastating culls that accompanied the 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis, I know firsthand how critical protecting our nation's biosecurity is - not just for animal and plant health but our vital agri-food industry, economy, environment, trading relationships and human public health.
"Without straying into the realms of alarmism, it is clear to me that the UK continues to face biosecurity threats through the importation of animal and plant diseases. One only needs to look across to our European neighbours and see the damage being inflicted upon domestic pig and wild boar populations by African Swine Fever to know we must remain especially vigilant moving forward.
"That is why the global, proportional, risk-based approach that our Conservative Government's Border Target Operating Model presents is so necessary to our national resilience and I look forward to better biosecurity protection from today."
In the Chamber:
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"As a Veterinary Surgeon, I am passionate about biosecurity. I am reassured that our Conservative Government are taking this matter very seriously indeed. I thank the Animal and Plant Health Agency and everyone at our borders who do so much in this regard.
"Prior to leaving the EU, we did not have the opportunity systematically to check animal and plant products coming into the UK. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we now have the opportunity to strengthen our biosecurity and that the introduction of the Border Target Operating Model will protect animal, plant and, ultimately, human health in the UK moving forward?"
Food, Farming and Fisheries Minister, Sir Mark Spencer, replied:
"I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for his work in this area and his expertise in it. Moving forward, we will be in a much stronger place in terms of our phytosanitary and sanitary protections. That is the right outcome. We will continue to ensure that we are safe in the UK and that we protect our borders proportionately."
