HC Deb 02 July 2002 vol 388 cc251-3W
Mr. Gale

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ban the import of food products produced(a) under conditions and (b) using chemicals that would not be permitted in the United Kingdom. [65150]

>Mr. Morley

[holding answer 1 July 2002]: European Community rules require all products of animal origin imported from third countries to be produced to standards at least equivalent to those applied to Community production, and to conform to rules limiting or banning the use of certain chemicals. All consignments imported are subject to veterinary checks at an authorised border pollutants covered by the National air quality strategy are monitored by of the main London air quality monitoring sites.

Mr. Meacher

[holding answer 1 July 2002]: There are Air Quality 24 air quality monitoring sites in London reported in the National Air Quality Archive (http://www.airquality.co.uk).The pollutants measured at these sites, site type and their start Food and Rural Affairs which of the dates are given in the table.

inspection post to ensure that import requirements have been complied with. Consignments that do not comply are rejected and will be re-exported or destroyed.

Food which is not of animal origin, such as fruit and vegetables, entering the UK from third countries must meet the same food safety standards as apply to food produced in the UK. Under UK national regulations such imports are subject to checks on the basis of risk assessment by local food authorities at the point of entry to the UK and they can refuse entry or arrange destruction of foods that do not meet the UK's requirements.

Food coming to the UK from other EU member states is in free circulation within the EU and is not subject to routine checks at UK ports. Such food can be subject to random, non-discriminatory import checks where there is information to support such action.

From time to time the EU may make Decisions to be acted on by all member states, which require additional inspection or testing of specified foodstuffs.