Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is his policy that the import ban on (a) chlorine or acid-washed chicken, (b) hormone-treated beef, (c) ractopamine-fed pork, (d) dairy products from BST treated cows and (e) eggs from battery caged hens will continue after the transition period ends; and if he will make a statement.
Answer
This Government is committed to upholding our high food standards and rules on food safety will be retained in domestic UK law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will transfer existing food safety provisions, including related import requirements, onto the UK statute book.
This includes the law that no products, other than potable water, are approved in the UK to decontaminate poultry carcases. This applies to both domestic and imported products and will continue to operate independently in UK law after the Transition Period.
The UK currently applies prohibitions on the use of growth promoting hormone treatments, including beta agonists and ractopamine, as well as prohibitions on the sale of animal products derived from animals treated with them. These rules will be retained at the end of the Transition Period.
There is no import ban in the UK or EU on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin or on eggs from battery caged hens; in both cases, however, consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments.
As we committed to in our manifesto, this Government will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards.