§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What additional resources have been allocated to Heathrow airport in the way of financial aid and personnel to monitor imported meats coming into the United Kingdom since the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [HL2482]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)All products of animal origin imported from third countries into the UK must enter at designated UK border inspection posts (Bar's) where they are subject to veterinary inspections. The inspection services at a BIP are the responsibility of the local authority or port health authority, in the case of Heathrow, the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is their responsibility to deploy appropriate inspection staff at the B1P in response to the volume and nature of the products imported through the BIP. At the Heathrow BIP, there are currently 10 environmental health officers, three official veterinary surgeons and 10 other staff involved in the monitoring of imported meats coming into the UK but these figures will vary.
London Borough of Hillingdon environmental health officers and H M Customs officers also carry out checks for the presence of illegally imported meat and other animal products in passengers' luggage. in addition, State Veterinary Service staff, who are present at Heathrow to check imported live animals, are also empowered to deal with illegally imported animal products when they are found. No additional resources have been allocated since February 2001 but there has been greater coordination between the authorities at Heathrow in conducting checks and other duties.