3rd report - Biosecurity at the border: Britain's illegal meat crisis
Select Committee
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
HC 1296
8 September 2025
Recommendations
1 results
9
Acknowledged
Design a strategy to reduce demand for illegally imported products and engage communities.
Recommendation
Defra should work with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland to design a strategy to reduce demand for illegally imported products. Defra must further consider how to engage with Eastern European communities in Great Britain to raise awareness …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of reducing demand for illegally imported products but states demand-side factors are not fully understood, prioritizing other immediate issues. They mention past and ongoing communication campaigns related to import restrictions, but do not commit to designing a new specific strategy or engagement plan as requested.
Conclusions (5) Observations and findings — click to expand
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Animal disease threats like foot and mouth disease and African swine fever are a national security issue and must be understood as such across Government. Although it is not possible to prevent all contaminated animal products entering Great Britain, the Government must take all possible steps to reduce the risk …
Government Response Summary
The Government shares the Committee’s concerns about illegal imports of meat and dairy products into England and the potential risks posed to animal health and food safety and is working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle this issue.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Consumers deserve confidence that the food they are buying is safe and meets high welfare standards, and British farmers should not be undercut by cheap, poor quality animal products. We need to understand more about the nature and scale of illegal imports of animal products, and their destinations in Great …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of assessing illegal import risks and improving data transparency, noting that current data is fragmented. They are working with agencies to understand seizure data and improve its capture and sharing, but do not commit to regular publication.
8
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Demand for cheap meat and culturally preferred products is fuelling the influx of illegal imports to Great Britain. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)
Government Response Summary
The government notes the conclusion regarding demand for cheap and culturally preferred products fueling illegal imports but believes demand-side factors are not fully understood. They refer to past and ongoing communications campaigns related to import restrictions.
10
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Committee supports the Government’s commitment to “do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth”. The Committee welcomes efforts made so far, but concludes that there is more that Defra 36 could and should be doing to prevent animal diseases like foot and mouth and African …
Government Response Summary
The Government shares the Committee’s concerns about illegal imports of meat and dairy products and the risks posed to animal health and food safety. Defra is working with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle this issue, with the support of Border Force, port health authorities, local authorities and the Devolved Governments.
18
Conclusion
Acknowledged
There is currently no effective deterrent to meat smuggling and smugglers are operating with impunity as a result. Defra’s proposal to crush vans carrying illegal imports is not a silver bullet for this issue and may be challenging to practically implement at the border. (Conclusion, Paragraph 46)
Government Response Summary
Defra encourages enforcement authorities to utilize the current suite of sanctions available for repeat offenders and egregious breaches, as far as it is practicable to do so. The government does not agree that a Defra-led plan for fining and prosecution of repeat offenders would be a suitable solution but intend to focus initial work on a new strategic approach to tackling the issue of illegal meat imports at the Short Straits.