EFRA minister to face questions on animal disease, plant biosecurity, SPS negotiations and animal welfare

Click link to view evidence session: Animal and plant health

Tuesday 9 December in Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Watch live or later on Parliamentlive.tv

African Swine Fever cases in Spain, foot and mouth disease in Germany, mounting cases of Avian Flu and Bluetongue in the UK – systems and procedures for protecting the UK’s biosecurity are under mounting pressure.

Baroness Hayman sits down with the EFRA Committee to discuss her responsibilities as Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals. She’ll be joined by the Government’s chief vet, the chief plant health officer and the director of biosecurity and trade in Northern Ireland.

Members will explore current threats at the UK’s borders and whether the Government has learnt lessons from previous occasions such as the Foot and Mouth outbreak in Germany, last January. The UK’s plant biosecurity regime is also under significant pressure, prompting questions about resilience to Xylella, Colorado Beetle and other invasive pests that are present in the EU but not in the UK.

Key differences between the UK and EU policy and the impact on an SPS Agreement are likely to be explored. As negotiations on a common agri-food area continue, port health authorities and staff on the ground point to the fourth major policy change in six years and the impact on working practices.

The Committee will follow up key manifesto commitments made by Government to improve animal welfare. The Committee will also set aside time to discuss proposals for veterinary practice reform.

Witnesses from 10am:

• Baroness Hayman of Ullcock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals), Defra

• Dr Christine Middlemiss CB, Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra

• Professor Nicola Spence CBE The UK Chief Plant Health Officer, Defra

• Mark Thompson, Director, Northern Ireland, Biosecurity, and Trade Programme, Defra