Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Moving animals across borders

Status: Closed Opened: 13 Jan 2021 Closed: 26 Jan 2022 28 recommendations 17 conclusions 1 report

As a result of the UK leaving the EU and being granted “national listed status” as a third country, the movement of animals across borders faces a raft of regulation changes. This means that exports of live animals (for slaughter and fattening) from Great Britain (GB) to the EU and Northern Ireland can continue, although … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Moving animals across borders HC 79 30 Sep 2021 45 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
7 Conclusion First Report - Moving animals across bo… Rejected

Moving the responsibility for checking pets at the border from carriers to a Government Agency...

Moving the responsibility for checking pets at the border from carriers to a Government Agency will prevent the conflict of interests that is inherent within carriers checking the pets of their customers.

Government response AI summary
The Government rejects moving responsibility for pet checks from carriers to a government agency, asserting that current authorised checkers are trained and audited, and carriers are already taking unilateral measures to reduce commercial carriage.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
8 Recommendation First Report - Moving animals across bo… Rejected

The responsibility for checking pets at the border should be shifted from carriers to a...

The responsibility for checking pets at the border should be shifted from carriers to a Government Agency like APHA or Border Force to ensure smuggling is dealt with effectively. (Paragraph 25) 36 Moving animals across borders

Government response AI summary
The government has no plans to shift responsibility for pet checks from carriers to a government agency, stating that existing compliance checking arrangements will continue to be kept under review.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
9 Conclusion First Report - Moving animals across bo… Rejected

Within Defra’s policies there is an increasing focus on the prevention of pet smuggling.

Within Defra’s policies there is an increasing focus on the prevention of pet smuggling. However, this increased policy focus has not been matched by an increased prioritisation of the issue or increased funding within Border Force or APHA. Furthermore, we note above the need for responsibility for checking pets at … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government states that responsibility for pet checks will remain with authorised carriers and there are no plans to provide additional funding for local authority risk-based checks, though APHA is working on Border Control Post resource requirements for a new import regime.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
10 Recommendation First Report - Moving animals across bo… Rejected

Whichever of Border Force or APHA takes responsibility for checking pets must be properly resourced,...

Whichever of Border Force or APHA takes responsibility for checking pets must be properly resourced, and the Department should set out what steps it is taking within Government to ensure that this work is appropriately prioritised and resourced.

Government response AI summary
The Government states that responsibility for pet checks will not change from authorised carriers to a government agency and there are no plans for additional funding for local authority risk-based checks, though APHA is working to determine Border Control Post resource requirements for a new …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
16 Recommendation First Report - Moving animals across bo… Rejected

The Government should introduce pre-import screening for non-endemic diseases which threaten the UK pet population.

The Government should introduce pre-import screening for non-endemic diseases which threaten the UK pet population. This should be accompanied by the reinstalment of the UK’s tick and tapeworm treatment requirements that existed before the UK joined PETS. The UK should also introduce the rabies titre test as a way of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government declines to introduce pre-import screening or reinstate tick and tapeworm requirements, citing that tick treatment alone is insufficient, the rabies titre test is misleading and burdensome, and the overall risk is low, therefore has no immediate plans for changes.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
29 Jun 2021 Gareth Baynham Hughes · Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
8 Jun 2021 Christine Middlemiss · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ian Hewett · Animal and Plant Health Agency, Steve Dann · Border Force View ↗
18 May 2021 David Bowles · RSPCA, Jan Rogers · The Horse Trust, Maggie Roberts · Cats Protection, Mr Ross Hamilton · British Horseracing Authority, Paula Boyden · Dogs Trust, Roly Owers · World Horse Welfare View ↗
20 Apr 2021 James Russell · British Veterinary Association (BVA), Malcolm Mitchell · Scottish Rural College, Mr James West · Compassion in World Farming, Professor Tim Morris, Stuart Roberts · National Farmers Union, Victor Chestnutt · Ulster Farmers' Union View ↗

Who gave evidence

17 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Christine Middlemiss · Chief Veterinary Officer Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
David Bowles · Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns RSPCA 1
Gareth Baynham Hughes · Director of Animal and Plant Health Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Ian Hewett · interim Chief Executive Animal and Plant Health Agency 1
James Russell · President British Veterinary Association (BVA) 1
Jan Rogers · Director of Research and Policy The Horse Trust 1
Maggie Roberts · Director of Veterinary Services Cats Protection 1
Malcolm Mitchell · Professor of Physiology and Animal Welfare Scottish Rural College 1
Mr James West · Senior Policy Manager UK Compassion in World Farming 1
Mr Ross Hamilton · Head of Public Affairs British Horseracing Authority 1
Paula Boyden · Veterinary Director Dogs Trust 1
Professor Tim Morris 1
Roly Owers · Chief Executive Officer World Horse Welfare 1
Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Rural Affairs Minister Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Steve Dann · Director, National Operational Headquarters Border Force 1
Stuart Roberts · Deputy President National Farmers Union 1
Victor Chestnutt · President Ulster Farmers' Union 1

Meetings & visits

1 item
DateTypeDetail
23 Sep 2021 Formal meeting (private meeting) Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee · Room 21, Palace of Westminster