§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on powers to ban importation of foods whose production standards are illegal in this country. [137282]
§ Mr. BradshawAll consignments of animal products (including meat and fish) imported into the UK from other EU member states must have been produced in accordance with the rules laid down in Community legislation. Imports from third countries must have been produced to standards at least equivalent to those in the legislation. Among other things, the legislation sets out the licensing, structural and veterinary supervision requirements to be applied in production plants and each consignment must be accompanied by appropriate health certification.
If there is an outbreak of disease or if any other phenomenon occurs which is likely to present a risk to human or animal health, Community legislation allows us to take appropriate safeguard action, which may include a ban on imports of products from all, or parts, of the country concerned.
Any consignment of animal products imported from third countries are subject to veterinary inspection on entering the EU to ensure that conditions of import have been complied with and to ensure that they have remained in a satisfactory condition during transport. Food not of animal origin imported from countries outside the EU is also subject to routine food safety controls at the point of entry to the UK under imported food legislation. Any products that do not meet appropriate requirements may be rejected and either re-exported or destroyed.
633WFood 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 import checks where there is information to support such action. All imported food, including food from other EU member states, may be inspected at the point of destination in the UK and is subject to the same controls and checks at retail level.