Defra Ministers Michael Gove and George Eustice gave evidence to the Environment and Rural Affairs Select Committee today.
During the session Kerry McCarthy MP, one of the committee members, said she accepted the Secretary of State’s assurances that British food standards would not be lowered after we left the EU but asked if we would have to accept lower standard food imports as part of future trade deals. Michael Gove assured her that we wouldn’t and that imports would have to conform to the same food standards that we have now as members of the EU. He assured the committee that the Secretary of State for International Trade had said the same.
Ms McCarthy flagged Sustain research showing the rates of food poisoning are ten times higher in the US than in the UK. You can read our findings here. The Committee Chair, Neil Parish MP, went on to raise research from Sustain members the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics that showed use of antibiotics in farming is much higher in the US than in the UK. You can read their report here.
You can watch the full Committee hearing here and will find the exchanges above from around 9.51am.
Published Wednesday 31 October 2018
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
