Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border visited the Port of Dover with colleagues from the Environment, Food and Rural Affair Select committee to gather intelligence and discuss a range of issues including pet smuggling, agri-food trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks. In addition this week Dr Hudson attended a Cabinet Office and DEFRA briefing on the new border target operating model where he raised with ministers and officials key areas of concern in keeping our biosecurity protected.
On the Dover visit, meeting with key industry leaders such as the Chief Executive of the Port of Dover, Dr Hudson continued his push to for tighter border control when it comes to movement of animals and agri-food products. The trip also included a drive through the customs and border process to experience the average passage of a haulier, car or coach. The EFRA Committee have heard evidence about the thriving pet smuggling trade which sees gangs profit from the designer dog demand while taking no consideration of animal health and welfare or animal diseases being imported to the UK. Horses are also being illegally exported to continental Europe for slaughter via ports. Dr Hudson has been clear this needs to stop.
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill addresses the legislative loopholes that allow smugglers to exploit the UK’s borders and Dr Hudson is a keen advocate of seeing the bill return to the Commons. He raised this directly with the Environment Secretary during a recent Committee hearing.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“I’ve long campaigned to stamp out the abhorrent pet smuggling trade that is taking place on an industrial scale right before our eyes. Since the pandemic there has been a tragic rise in criminal activity with smugglers finding ever more sophisticated ways to get the better of authorities. We need to see the return of the Kept Animals Bill to Parliament which has measures to clamp down on legislative loopholes that enable the trade.
“It is crucial that policy decisions are informed by the most up-to-date and comprehensive evidence so our visit to the Port of Dover represents an important step in our campaign to stamp out pet smuggling. I thank the Port of Dover and look forward to continue working closely with public, private and third sector organisations on this important issue.
"More widely it is clear we are in the midst of a significant period of change when it comes to our borders, and I want to make sure biosecurity concerns are front and centre when decisions are being made. Having entered politics following my experiences during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis, I am acutely aware of what happens when things go wrong. It will be a tough balancing act between making sure agri-food imports are safe while also making sure trade remains as frictionless as possible, but with our EFRA Committee providing Government with timely expert advice, it is important we get things right."
As the only vet elected to the House of Commons since 1884 and with a vast rural constituency behind him, Dr Hudson is a vocal advocate for animal health and welfare and has a strong track record on such issues in Parliament. He has spoken up in Parliament on numerous occasions, worked with Ministers and triggered EFRA Inquiries on Movement of Animals Across Borders, and Pet Welfare and Abuse.
Most recently Dr Hudson hosted a roundtable with Dogs Trust where animal welfare experts, charity leaders, trading standards enforcers, prominent veterinarians and parliamentarians gathered to discuss the pressing challenges surrounding, and potential solutions for puppy smuggling.
