Source · Select Committees · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
First Report - Moving animals across borders
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
HC 79
Published 30 September 2021
Government response
Fifth Special Report - Moving animals across borders: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2021–22 · published 16 Dec 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
7
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 25
Moving the responsibility for checking pets at the border from carriers to a Government Agency...
Conclusion
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 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.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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8
Recommendation
Rejected
The responsibility for checking pets at the border should be shifted from carriers to a...
Recommendation
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 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.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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9
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 26
Within Defra’s policies there is an increasing focus on the prevention of pet smuggling.
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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10
Recommendation
Rejected
Para 26
Whichever of Border Force or APHA takes responsibility for checking pets must be properly resourced,...
Recommendation
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 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 2022 Live Animal Imports regime.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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16
Recommendation
Rejected
The Government should introduce pre-import screening for non-endemic diseases which threaten the UK pet population.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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