The National Audit Office has recently concluded in a new report
that DEFRA is at high risk of not delivering all its EU Exit
portfolio in a no-deal scenario. The House of Lords EU Energy and
Environment Sub-Committee on Wednesday 17th October will scrutinise
DEFRA’s preparations for a no deal Brexit with Secretary of State
MP.
The Government have published a series of guidance
notices, aimed at helping businesses to prepare for a ‘no deal’
scenario, and they make clear that the consequences of ’no deal’
on the UK’s agriculture, food and fisheries sectors could be
severe.
Unless the UK can secure ‘listed’ third country
status, no animals could be exported to the EU. UK mineral water
would not be able to be sold in the EU unless it was recognised
one of the remaining Member States. Pet owners would be required
to go through a longer and more rigorous process of blood tests
and paperwork before being able to travel with their animal. All
food labels will have to be changed.
The evidence session will begin at 11.15am in
Committee Room 2 of the House of
Lords.
The Committee will explore the extent to
which the Government is prepared for a ‘no deal’ scenario,
including issues such as:
-
Whether there will be time to recruit the
additional vets that will be required
-
How well advanced the development of the new IT
systems (to document and trace plant and animal movements; to
register chemicals etc) are
-
What capacity the Government will have to patrol UK
waters and enforce fishing restriction
-
How many of the 93 pieces of secondary legislation
required will be completed by March 2019
