The NPA has stressed the potentially disastrous consequences of failing to adequately resource meat checks at key ports like Dover, during an ‘encouraging’ meeting with biosecurity minister Baroness Sue Hayman.
During last week’s meeting with NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson and senior policy adviser Tom Haynes, Baroness Hayman made it clear she is acutely aware of the risks posed by ASF and the increased volumes of illegal meat entering the country.
The government recently announced a tightening up of the rules on personal pork imports, but while this represented some progress, it did little to dispel growing industry concerns over the UK’s wider border controls, as the African swine fever (ASF) threat grows in Europe.
The industry is concerned about big cuts to funding on checks for illegal meat imports at the Port of Dover, announced by the previous government, despite the fact that the authorities have seized more than 110 tonnes of meat since September 2022. The Dover Port Health Authority has warned that the funding cuts could force it to cease these vital checks, altogether.
There have also been complaints that inadequate checks on commercial meat imports are taking place under the BTOM (Border Target Operating Model), particularly at the new BCP at Sevington, near Ashford, with imported goods routinely being pre-cleared online.
Baroness Hayman made it clear she is keen to build up a clear and balanced picture of what is happening on the ground, and reveald she was currently conducting a ‘deep dive’ into the BTOM, and will be visiting the Sevington site, among a among a series of port visits.
Personal imports
Baroness Hayman is also keen to visit the Port of Dover, and stressed that significant priorities for her were communication, so the rules on personal imports are clear to tourists, and enforcement. She has requested an update from officials on adverts and messaging at ports and airports.
It was also discussed how illegally imported meat is not just a notifiable disease risk, but is supplying a growing black market and therefore represents, a public food health and hygiene issue.
The minister said she was aware of the lack of penalties for those illegally importing pigmeat, and how this makes it harder to tackle the issue. She is keen to forge better links between Defra and the Home Office on the issue.
Mrs Wilson said: “We were encouraged by our meeting with the minister and are pleased that she remains acutely aware of the risks posed by ASF and the rise of illegal meat entering the country.
“She assured us that her priority is to ensure there is sufficient communication and enforcement of our border security measures and she will be visiting Dover in the coming weeks to better understand the situation on the ground.
“Despite our positive engagement, we continued to push for a fresh funding settlement for Dover Port Health Authority. Without sufficient resources, the current seizures at the border will stop and the UK will be extremely vulnerable to biosecurity and notifiable disease threats like ASF and FMD.”