Question reference: S6W-21843
- Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 28 September 2023
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 October 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the impact in Scotland of the Statutory Health Attestation that will be required from 13 December 2023 to certify exports of POAO (Products of Animal Origin) to the European Union.
Answer
This new certification procedure is a direct consequence of the choices made by the UK Government when it negotiated a hard Brexit from the EU. As such, the Scottish Government is left with no alternative but to implement these new requirements. Scottish Government officials continue to work with all of the UK’s administrations to ensure that these changes are as simple as they can possibly be and to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and burdens.
As part of these new requirements for export, livestock keepers must demonstrate that an annual veterinary farm visit has taken place. Membership to a recognised farm assurance scheme automatically fulfils this requirement. To support our livestock keepers, exporters and stakeholders who are not part of a recognised farm assurance scheme, the Scottish Government is working together with ScotEID to implement an innovative digital solution. This will allow annual veterinary visits to be recorded digitally and be readily available on the ScotEID system throughout the food chain journey. Furthermore, Scottish Government officials have been corresponding and meeting with stakeholders to understand their concerns and discuss the upcoming changes that will be taking place. As soon as the digital solution is finalised, full guidance documents pertaining to the situation in Scotland will be issued.