Health officials at Dover’s port are considering legal measures against the Government unless it rethinks a proposal to relocate checks for potentially hazardous foods away from the port, citing concerns about biosecurity risks.
Dover’s Port Health Authority is alarmed about the volume of vehicles, including cars, vans, and lorries, transporting substantial amounts of meat into the UK, which might be tainted, leading to the illegal introduction of foods and the potential spread of diseases like African swine fever and foot and mouth disease.
Post-Brexit, the Government has been incrementally implementing a new border check system. Starting in April, it plans to shift random inspections of animal-based products from Dover, which manages a third of the UK’s goods trade, to an inland site at Sevington, 20 miles away.
However, both the Port Health Authority and a parliamentary committee have expressed concerns over the lack of a system to guarantee that vehicles designated for inspections reach the Sevington site, fearing that goods might be offloaded en route.
On Friday, the health authority intensified its opposition to this move, revealing that it had consulted legal experts and was contemplating legal action.
Lucy Manzano, head of the Dover Port Health Authority, commented to Reuters, “We are unable to understand how these changes serve the best interest of GB biosecurity and can be implemented without endangering consumers.”
A Government spokesperson stated, “Our stringent border controls are designed to uphold our high biosecurity standards, and we are confident that both existing and new facilities will be capable of maintaining these standards. We acknowledge Dover port’s strategic significance and are collaborating with the port authority on future support options.”
The Port Health Authority’s biosecurity worries are echoed by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, whose chair has communicated these concerns to Minister Steve Barclay.
