The Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) was ready for use in advance of the last withdrawal date of 12 April. Since then, work on IPAFFS has continued to further develop and stabilise the system, improving the user experience and increasing functionalities for imports from countries outside the EU.

IPAFFS is currently available for businesses to register and begin familiarising themselves with the system. Businesses importing goods from outside the EU are able to use the system from Day 1. IPAFFS replicates the same functionality as the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) currently used by importers to notify authorities about imports of animal products, high-risk food and feed from non-EU countries.

For an interim period, businesses importing goods from the EU will follow a separate process whilst this functionality is built into IPAFFS.

As part of our programme’s nationwide business readiness activities we have been engaging with businesses, stakeholders and users of IPAFFS (including Port Health Authorities) to ensure they can familiarise themselves with the system ahead of 31 October.

The current IPAFFS contingency process is mostly unchanged from the one proposed for the previous departure date in March and follows a similar process to that used by TRACES if it were to stop working today. The National Clearance Hub has accepted the contingency as workable.

The process for importing feed and food from the EU to the UK will not change after Brexit. There will be no additional controls or checks. Full guidance has been published on Gov.uk and this includes new arrangements for the notification only of certain imports.

Options for a new, long term imports regime for animals and animal products are under consideration. The sanitary and phytosanitary conditions for trade between the UK and the EU will also be a matter for negotiation as part of our Future Relationship with the EU.

The Department is working with Public Health England (PHE), NHS England and NHS Improvement and other stakeholders to deliver a comprehensive vaccine and immunisation strategy this autumn. The strategy will set out a clear vision for maintaining and developing England’s world-leading immunisation programme over the next 10 years and beyond.

Actions planned or underway to increase the uptake of childhood vaccination include:

- Strengthening the role of local immunisation coordinators – healthcare professionals that promote vaccine uptake, particularly in under-served groups, by supporting areas with low uptake and tailoring specific local interventions to under-vaccinated communities;

- Updating NHS.uk to ensure availability of National Health Service-approved, evidence-based and trusted advice on vaccines; and

- A review of general practitioner vaccinations and immunisation standards, funding, and procurement to incentivise improved immunisation coverage.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The new Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 will apply in EU member states from 14 December 2019.

How and when the UK implements this Regulation will depend on our departure from the EU. If we leave the EU with a deal, there is likely to be an implementation period until at least 31 December 2020. During this period, EU law will apply including the Official Controls Regulation. The UK will therefore need to implement this new Regulation at the same time as EU member states on 14 December 2019.

In a no-deal situation, the UK will be able to choose whether and when to apply these measures as the Regulation will not apply automatically to the UK. However, UK exporters to the EU will have to meet the import requirements that apply to imports from third countries.

The Government has strong plans in place to manage issues or risks arising from the import or export of animals and agri-food products. This includes managing the risk of high risk journeys, measures to safeguard welfare and processes required if animals or goods are rejected at EU borders.

If the UK is listed and the exported animals meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production and trade between the Member States and consignments are in compliance with the relevant Official Controls Regulation (OCR) and associated tertiary legislation, then in principle those animals should not be refused entry.

Where the consignments are not in compliance with the relevant requirements and present a risk to animal and human health, the OCR and tertiary legislation provide for a range of measures ranging from quarantine (pending further decision of the competent authorities at Border Control Posts), destruction of consignments, special treatment and re-despatch. The regime for these measures is essentially the same as the one provided under Regulation 882/2004.

UK goods, including live animals that are exported to the EU in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and rejected at an EU Border Control Post can travel back to the UK on the same documents issued for their journey. The consignment will need pre-notification to the UK of its return, but will be able to return to the UK via any port of entry and will not be subject to routine veterinary checks at the port of entry.

Transporters of animals have a legal duty to protect the welfare of their animals and should only plan journeys if they are sure that the journey is viable and compliant with welfare requirements, for instance on maximum journey times.

They will need to check that all certification is in place and all EU import conditions are met to minimise the likelihood of being returned.

i) Ungulates, Equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets

The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow exports of live animals and animal products to the European Commission in January 2019.

The UK continues to undertake constructive engagement with the European Commission on third country listing, and has already provided the necessary assurances requested by the European Commission in order for the relevant Committee to consider listing the UK as a third country for exports of live animals and animal products. This would ensure that exports of ungulates (hoofed animals), equines and commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets to the EU would continue in a no deal.

The relevant Committee meeting to vote on our listed status is expected to be scheduled and meet ahead of exit date.

ii) Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets

Non-commercial movement of cats, dogs and ferrets is covered by the EU Pet Travel Scheme which has 3 categorisations of third country: unlisted, Part 1 listed and Part 2 listed.

Third countries can apply to the European Commission to be listed under the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The United Kingdom submitted its application to allow the UK to become a Part 1 listed third country under Annex II of the EU Pet Travel Regulations to the European Commission in January 2019. It is for the Commission to consider our application for listed status. The UK is likely to be treated as an unlisted country under the EU Pet Travel Scheme if it leaves without a deal.

The Department for Transport has put in place £30M of funding for ports, Local Resilience Forums, and road & rail links.

Financial support is provided for sixteen ports across England who will receive a share of funding to help their preparations for Brexit on 31 October and beyond. The successful bidders of the £10m Port Infrastructure Resilience and Connectivity (PIRC) competition offers ports up to £1m each to deliver important infrastructure upgrades to help keep traffic and trade flowing smoothly across the border.

The fund PIRC is part of a wider £30m government package to support ports across England to operate efficiently post-Brexit. DfT is providing up to £5m to four Local Resilience Forums (LRF) outside Kent with the highest volumes of accompanied road freight traffic with EU ports. A further £15m will go towards the development of longer-term projects to boost road and rail links to ports.

Arrangements and support for Port Health and border operations are a matter for the responsible Government Departments.

Third country high-risk food and feed consignments transiting the European Union destined for the United Kingdom will need to enter the UK at ports with the required facilities, such as Border Inspection Posts (BIP) and Designated Points of Entry (DPE) to undertake required controls. Following detailed analysis to determine the possible number of such transits, there is sufficient existing capacity at UK ports with those facilities to undertake all relevant import controls.

The importation of high-risk feed and foods that are not pre-notified to a port with a BIP or DPE or enter a port without a BIP or DPE are illegal imports and as such are subject to Border Force control.

Across 2017/18 and 2018/19, my Department has made available £77 million to help local areas prepare for Brexit. This includes £60 million that has been distributed between all local authorities in England, including £314,952 to the City of London, and £3.14 million that was allocated to nineteen councils in March 2019 to increase capacity to plan for and accommodate changes in and around ports of entry. In August 2019 £5.01 million was announced to further support councils which either have, or are near to, a major air, land or sea port to ensure they continue to operate efficiently (£2.61 million to councils in Kent and £2.4 million to councils outside of Kent), and £4 million was allocated to Local Resilience Forums to support them with their core administration costs for preparing, testing, assuring and delivering plans for supporting the delivery of Brexit. This funding is for councils and Local Resilience Forums to boost their capacity and help them put in place measures that will protect the services that residents, communities and businesses rely upon.

The recent protests demonstrate the strength of feeling among the people of Hong Kong about proposed changes to Hong Kong's extradition laws, and the importance they attach to the preservation of the rights and freedoms and high degree of autonomy guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong's Basic Law.

The protests have been largely peaceful, although the violence that occurred on 12 June is a cause for serious concern. All allegations of inappropriate use of force by the Hong Kong police should of course be fully investigated by the Hong Kong SAR Government.

​Details on the UK Statistics Authority's interventions are published in the correspondence[1], publications[2], and issues log[3] sections of their website since 2010.

The Authority's Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) also carry out regular assessments and systemic reviews, details of which can also be found on the Authority's website[4].

In September 2018, the Authority published the first annual summary of its interventions for the financial year 2017/18[5]. The report for 2018/19 will be published in the autumn.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief as a universal human right which should be enjoyed by everyone. The UK regularly raises this issue with governments across the world, through our diplomatic network and at the Human Rights Council, and the UK funds and supports projects that promote respect for all people of different faiths and none. As the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon regularly raises this subject with his international counterparts. The Foreign Secretary launched an independent Review of FCO support for persecuted Christians on 30 January. The Review is led by the Bishop of Truro. It will map levels of persecution and discrimination against Christians around the world, and provide robust recommendations on how the FCO can respond. The Bishop submitted his interim report in May and will submit his final report in Summer.

The British Government has been a leader in developing policies and practical action to promote the Protection of Civilians within the UN system. The Government is updating its Protection of Civilians Strategy to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the context of modern conflict, and comprehensive in addressing the situation of children and other particularly vulnerable people such as people with disabilities and older people in conflict zones. As part of that commitment the Government is working with the Polish Government to introduce a new UN Security Council Resolution specifically addressing the needs of the disabled in armed conflict within the broader protection of civilians resolutions that have already been agreed. The Government expects that Resolution to be passed before the end of June 2019.

In a statement to the House on 13 June, I set out in detail our assessment of the implications for human rights of the proposed changes to its extradition legislation and the recent protests in Hong Kong. This included our belief that, if enacted, the proposals could pose a risk to the rights and freedoms and high degree of autonomy guaranteed by the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

We welcome the Chief Executive's statement on 18 June that she would not proceed with the second reading of the Bill if the fears and anxieties of the people of Hong Kong were not addressed.

The rules-based international system has made the world collectively more prosperous and safe than ever before. Making the case for effective multilateralism is the responsibility of all those who believe in the opportunities that co-operation brings. Upholding and strengthening this system is a priority for the government. We are reinvigorating and expanding the UK's diplomatic network in order to reinforce our friendships and alliances, to defend the values of democracy and human rights, to reform the multilateral architecture where needed and to reach agreement on new rules in evolving policy areas. This will allow the UK to play a leading role in shaping a rules-based international system fit for the future.