Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Biosecurity and animal welfare

Status: Open Opened: 9 Jan 2025 64 recommendations 49 conclusions 4 reports

Animal and plant diseases and pests have far-reaching impacts on the environment, agricultural and horticultural sectors, trade, human health, animal welfare, and the food that we eat. The UK’s animal and plant biosecurity capability is in a period of significant change: the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s critical infrastructure – notably its Weybridge headquarters – … Show more

Clear

Reports

4 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report - A sustainable veterinary workforce HC 270 5 Jun 2026 18 Overdue
5th Report - UK-EU agritrade: making an SPS agreement work HC 1661 5 Feb 2026 43 Responded
4th Report - UK-EU trade: towards a resilient border strate… HC 1279 15 Sep 2025 27 Responded
3rd report - Biosecurity at the border: Britain's illegal m… HC 1296 8 Sep 2025 25 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
6 Conclusion 3rd report - Biosecurity at the border:… Deferred

Defra's approach to EU personal imports has been lax, reactive, and complicated.

Under successive governments, Defra’s approach to personal imports from the EU since 2021 has been unnecessarily lax, too reactive and overly complicated. Temporary personal import rules create confusion for travellers, uncertainty for farmers, and difficulty for enforcement professionals. (Conclusion, Paragraph 29) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it has deferred permanent personal import rules from the EU until January 2027 and currently has no plans to consult on a permanent policy. It notes existing temporary safeguard measures are in place to address biosecurity risks.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
12 Conclusion 4th Report - UK-EU trade: towards a res… Deferred

Government's practical implementation strategy for EU biosecurity Common Understanding remains unclear.

The Common Understanding with the EU presents a positive and welcome opportunity to bolster UK biosecurity and we praise the Government for its work in this regard. It remains unclear, however, how the Government sees the new arrangements working in practice. (Conclusion, Paragraph 21) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that formal negotiations with the EU for the SPS Agreement have not yet commenced, making it impossible to provide confirmation or a cost-benefit analysis at this stage. They expect negotiations to start later in the autumn and will carefully consider options during …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
13 Recommendation 4th Report - UK-EU trade: towards a res… Deferred

Set out strategic objectives for shared EU-UK digital border biosecurity systems, clarifying IPAFFS adoption.

In response to this Report, the Government should set out its strategic objectives for shared EU–UK digital systems in the context of border biosecurity. Specifically, it should clarify whether IPAFFS will be retired in favour of adopting TRACES NT, or whether a model of integration is preferred. The Government should … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government defers action on setting out strategic objectives, clarifying system adoption, outlining contingency plans, or publishing comparative analysis, as formal EU negotiations have not yet commenced.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
17 Recommendation 4th Report - UK-EU trade: towards a res… Deferred

Provide analysis of Single Trade Window delays and outline renewed implementation timeline and costs.

Future border systems must prioritise ease of use, interoperability, and support for trade growth. In its response to this Report, the Department should provide an analysis of the reasons for the Single Trade Window’s delay. It should also outline the renewed timeline for the implementation of the Window and the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that the Single Trade Window Programme is not led by Defra, and therefore, this response is not the appropriate place to provide an analysis of delays or a future roadmap.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
40 Recommendation 5th Report - UK-EU agritrade: making an… Deferred

Publish plans for parliamentary scrutiny of dynamic alignment and Parliament's future role.

We believe that our remit and responsibilities make this Committee the most appropriate body for scrutiny of SPS policy. We are therefore disappointed that the Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations refused to appear before us. We echo the House of Lords recommendation that: “The Government should set … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will bring forward primary legislation to allow Defra to implement the SPS Agreement, dependent on the progress of negotiations and will set out more specific details as they progress.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Oral evidence sessions

8 sessions
Date Witnesses
30 Jun 2026 Abigail Seager · Defra, Dr Suzanne Eckford · Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), Lea Reynolds · Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) View ↗
17 Mar 2026 Dr Rob Williams · British Veterinary Association, Professor Caroline Argo · SRUC Veterinary School, Professor Matt Jones · Harper and Keele Veterinary School, Professor Tim Parkin · Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons View ↗
9 Dec 2025 Baroness Hayman of Ullock · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Dr Christine Middlemiss CB · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mark Thompson · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Professor Nicola Spence CBE · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
21 Oct 2025 Geoff Ogle · Food Standards Scotland (FSS), Katie Pettifer · Food Standards Agency (FSA) View ↗
6 May 2025 Gareth Baynham-Hughes · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Spencer Draper · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, The Baroness Hayman of Ullock · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
25 Mar 2025 Katrina Walsh · International Meat Trade Association, Nichola Mallon · Logistics UK, Nigel Jenney · Fresh Produce Consortium, Sally Cullimore · Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) View ↗
4 Mar 2025 Dr Christine Middlemiss · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Dr Jenny Stewart · Animal and Plant Health Agency, Dr Jude McCann · Farming Community Network, Lizzie Wilson · National Pig Association, Richard Griffiths · British Poultry Council, Sarah Tomlinson · TB Advisory Service View ↗
4 Feb 2025 David Smith · Border Force, Helen Buckingham · OneResolution, Lucy Manzano · Dover Port Health Authority View ↗

Who gave evidence

29 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Abigail Seager · Chief Executive Officer, Veterinary Medicines Dir… Defra 1
Baroness Hayman of Ullock · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
David Smith · South East Regional Director Border Force 1
Dr Christine Middlemiss · Chief Veterinary Officer Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 1
Dr Christine Middlemiss CB · Chief Veterinary Officer Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Dr Jenny Stewart · Interim Chief Executive Animal and Plant Health Agency 1
Dr Jude McCann · Chief Executive Officer Farming Community Network 1
Dr Rob Williams · President British Veterinary Association 1
Dr Suzanne Eckford · Head of International Office Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) 1
Gareth Baynham-Hughes · Director of Marine and Fisheries Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 1
Geoff Ogle · Chief Executive Food Standards Scotland (FSS) 1
Helen Buckingham · Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner and r… OneResolution 1
Katie Pettifer · Chief Executive Food Standards Agency (FSA) 1
Katrina Walsh · Strategy Director International Meat Trade Association 1
Lea Reynolds · Head of Policy Development and Delivery Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) 1
Lizzie Wilson · Chief Executive Officer National Pig Association 1
Lucy Manzano · Head of Port Health and Public Protection Dover Port Health Authority 1
Mark Thompson · Director, Northern Ireland, Biosecurity, and Trad… Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Nichola Mallon · Head of Trade and Devolved Policy Logistics UK 1
Nigel Jenney · Chief Executive Fresh Produce Consortium 1
Professor Caroline Argo · Dean SRUC Veterinary School 1
Professor Matt Jones · Head Harper and Keele Veterinary School 1
Professor Nicola Spence CBE · The UK Chief Plant Health Officer Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Professor Tim Parkin · President Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 1
Richard Griffiths · Chief Executive British Poultry Council 1
Sally Cullimore · Technical Policy Manager Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) 1
Sarah Tomlinson · lead veterinary science expert, AHDB and Technica… TB Advisory Service 1
Spencer Draper · Head of Borders Delivery, Northern Ireland, Biose… Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 1
The Baroness Hayman of Ullock · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1

Correspondence

51 letters
DateDirectionTitle
30 Jun 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman, Minister for Animal Welfare and Biosecurit…
23 Jun 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman, Minister for Animal Welfare and Biosecurit…
5 Jun 2026 Correspondence to Baroness Hayman regarding concerns about access to veterinary…
3 Jun 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman on preparations for a future Sanitary and P…
19 May 2026 Correspondence from the Agricultural Engineers Association regarding Silsoe Spr…
28 Apr 2026 Correspondence from Association of Port Health Authorities to the Chair relatin…
14 Apr 2026 Correspondence from the Chair of the Animal Sentience Committee relating to the…
14 Apr 2026 Correspondence from the Ashford Borough Council Corporate Director for Port Hea…
24 Mar 2026 Correspondence from the Animal Sentience Committee regarding their two new repo…
24 Mar 2026 Correspondence from Marsha De Cordova MP in her capacity as Leader and Co-Chair…
17 Mar 2026 Correspondence to Ashford Port Health Authority relating to non-attendance of c…
17 Mar 2026 Correspondence from Paul Kissack, Permanent Secretary, Defra, re update on Defr…
17 Mar 2026 Correspondence from the Dogs Trust regarding changes to the Companion Club, dat…
17 Mar 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman, Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Anim…
13 Feb 2026 Correspondence from Michael Seals, Animal Sentience Committee regarding having …
28 Jan 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman, Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Anim…
28 Jan 2026 Correspondence from Baroness Hayman, Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Anim…
13 Jan 2026 Correspondence from Michael Seals, Chair of the Animal Sentience Committee, reg…
13 Jan 2026 Correspondence to the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Aff…
13 Jan 2026 Correspondence from Ann Cuthbert regarding systemic regulatory failure in the o…