Source · Select Committees · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
4th Report - UK-EU trade: towards a resilient border strategy
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
HC 1279
Published 15 September 2025
Government response
4th Special Report – UK-EU trade: towards a resilient border strategy (Government Response) · published 19 Nov 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
4
Recommendation
Rejected
Require Defra to assess intentional non-compliance within the BTOM and outline corrective steps.
Recommendation
In the review proposed above, Defra should work with relevant Government departments and non-departmental delivery partners to assess the scale and nature of intentional non-compliance and outline the steps it will take to address this. These lessons should also be …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects conducting the proposed review to assess intentional non-compliance, but agrees with the principle of investigating and addressing such issues, citing existing departmental actions and capabilities.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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20
Conclusion
Rejected
Dissatisfaction with inland BCP plant checks persists; PoD inspections could improve system efficiency.
Conclusion
Industry has expressed dissatisfaction with the current system of SPS checks on plants and plant products conducted at inland Border Control Posts (BCPs), citing concerns around value for money, inspection standards, and biosecurity. While a future SPS agreement with the …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects reintroducing Place of Destination (PoD) inspections, stating the scheme was temporary, concluded in April 2024, and did not meet necessary biosecurity standards or legislative requirements for permanent facilities.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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