Written question asked by Ruth Jones (Labour) on Monday, 7 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. It was answered by Stephen Morgan (Labour) on Friday, 18 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Veterinary Medicine: Export Health Certificates

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a decline in veterinary certification capacity on the UK's ability to rebuild veterinary public health capacity quickly.

Answer: The UK is currently negotiating an SPS Agreement with the EU. These negotiations are at an advanced stage and expected to remove the requirement for Export Health Certificates.    The Agreement will have implications for Official Veterinarians undertaking export certification, including the demand for Export Health Certificate (EHC) services. Defra are working with the veterinary profession and wider industry stakeholders to monitor this capability and ensure an effective and well-managed transition.

Secondary information