As set out above, the Government does not accept that it is currently appropriate to establish a specific taskforce as recommended by the committee and instead wishes to focus on a revised strategic approach to tackling the illegal import of animal products via the Short Straits in the first instance. Local authorities already have close relationships with the Food Standards Agency, and port health authorities are represented in a range of cross- organisation forums to share intelligence and information regarding illegal imports of products of animal origin. Defra is already working with the Home Office, Border Force, the Food Standards Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Devolved Governments, including Food Standards Scotland, to improve the data and intelligence on illegal imports. We have put in place fortnightly discussions with key intelligence units which have initially focussed on developing a shared understanding of the intelligence landscape across animals and animal products. We agree that a sensible next step would be to consider integrating representatives of port health and local authorities into this working group to draw on their enforcement expertise and ensure that any proposals emerging consider workforce implications. The precise approach to this, and whether it involves drawing on regional expert contacts, should be developed as part of the work on a new strategic approach to the Short Straits. Defra agrees that there may be value in expanding this working group. The Government therefore partially agrees with this recommendation and is taking steps to improve how local authorities are integrated into information sharing and intelligence networks.