§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of(a) food imports and (b) livestock imports were impounded or refused entry to the UK on the grounds of bio-security in each of the last five years. [43565]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 15 March 2002]: The information below relates to consignments of products of animal origin correctly presented at border inspection posts from non-EU countries but rejected because they did not fully meet import requirements. The reason for rejection is not recorded. Information on other imported food and products of animal origin from other EU member States is not held centrally.
Year Percentage of imported food of animal origin rejected 1997 1.7% (790 rejected out of 45,842) 1998 2.0% (994 rejected out of 49,152) 1999 2.3% (1,004 rejected out of 42,900) 2000 2.8% (1,274 rejected out of 44,616) January to November 2001 3.9% (1,690 rejected out of 43,597) In addition, since April 2001, we have been advised of 1,183 seizures of illegally imported products of animal origin. We do not hold figures for the last five years.
The information below relates to imports of livestock into the UK from all EU and non-EU countries which were rejected or detained because they did not fully comply with the import requirements. The information includes birds and poultry but excludes fish and bees since statistics can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The reason for rejection or detention is not recorded.
Year Percentage of imported livestock rejected or detained 1997 0.02% (852 rejected/detained out of 4,289,874) 1998 0.002% (301 rejected/detained out of 15,340,000) 1999 0.0005% (234 rejected/detained out of 40,450,000) 2000 0.007% (534 rejected/detained out of 7,796,332) 2001 0.005% (374 rejected/detained out of 8,391,686) All figures are provisional and subject to change.