Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Wednesday, 5 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 March 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 March 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much illegally imported meat has been seized at UK ports and airports in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type and (b) location. - Inc table and fact that little or no data is held centrally for 2000.

Answer: Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much illegally imported meat has been seized at UK ports and airports in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type and (b) location. [102158] Mr. Morley: A central database of illegal animal product seizures notified to Defra was set up in August 2001, with detailed data going back to April 2001. Little or no data is held centrally for 2000. The numbers and weights of meat seizures at UK ports and airports reported to us in each of the last three years is shown below. A detailed breakdown of locations of seizures is not provided in order to protect operational details of targeted checks. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of seizures Weight of seizures (kg) Ports 2001 404 60,544 2002 301 6,091 Airports 2001 739 14,254 2002 1953 18,593 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information