Members of Parliament have expressed concerns regarding Defra’s recent announcement that a Dover food health check centre will be moved to Sevington, stating that the decision may raise the risks of disease like African Swine Fever (AFS).
Previously, Defra revealed its intention for SPS checks on goods arriving through the Short Straits to be carried out in Sevington, 22 miles away from the UK Point of Entry at Dover.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee Chair Sir Robert Goodwill MP addressed Defra Secretary Steve Barclay in a letter, asking for confirmation “of the current amount of funding in place for spot checks of POAO (products of animal origin) at the Port of Dover and whether [they] have plans to change that funding”.
He went on to ask what assessment Defra has made of “the potential impact of a reduction in funding on checks on the UK’s biosecurity”, with the Committee saying that it has “real and reasonable concerns about the geographic dislocation of the border control post from the point of entry”.
The Committee asked Barclay to confirm what “safeguards will be in place to ensure the required loads travel from the point of entry (Port of Dover) to the Sevington site (22 miles away) , without either offloading goods on route or not presenting at Sevington at all”.
It was highlighted in the letter that the move to the Sevington post presented “serious biosecurity risks” and “compromised compliance”.
The Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) said that it had “urgently and robustly engaged with Government seeking clarification (and details) as to how their intention could or would be achieved, delivered or controlled in practice”, raising concerns over whether Sevington could meet legislation requirements.
A Defra spokesperson told Food Management Today: “In 2022 Defra provided a temporary financial support package to local authorities and port health authorities, which ends in June 2024.
“Part of this package enabled port health authorities to support Border Force with enforcing the temporary measures on pork products from the European Union designed to address the risks from African Swine Fever.
“We recognise the strategic importance of the port of Dover and are continuing to work with the port authority on future support options.”
DPHA said it “will not sit by and leave our businesses, agents and importers in this disadvantageous position, without the operational delivery support they expect and deserve”.
