§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the adequacy of resources available to port health authorities to protect the UK from infected foodstuffs. [1995]
§ Yvette CooperI have been asked to reply.
The level of port health resources is a matter for the relevant local authority which allocates funds according to local need.
Imports of food of animal origin such as meat and meat products are subject to harmonised European Union legislation. Such products must enter the EU through a border inspection post (BIP) and are subject to specified import checks. The costs of these inspections are charged to importers. The performance of BIPs is audited by the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office and monitored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The inspection of imported food of non-animal origin such as fruit and vegetables is not a harmonised EU area and the regulations are national legislation. Such inspections are not funded through the charge of fees to importers. These costs fall to the local authority that has responsibility for a particular port health authority. The Food Standards Agency monitors general food enforcement activity by all local authorities, including port health authorities, and has recently begun a programme of audits to provide more detailed information on enforcement standards. Local authorities would be expected to take notice of the outcome of the audits and any recommendations made.
The FSA is aware of concerns about imported food. The FSA is carrying out a review of import controls and will make recommendations. The FSA is also working closely with port health authorities to encourage more effective and consistent enforcement of food law. This includes involvement in a benchmarking exercise recently started by the Association of Port Health Authorities, the representative body for port health authorities, aimed at producing a more uniform approach to service levels, 291W policies and procedures. The FSA is participating in a cross-Whitehall initiative to ensure that import controls are made as effective as possible.