The UK has been in negotiations for a modern and ambitious free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council since June 2022. Throughout these negotiations, we have proactively engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders across sectors and regions, to inform negotiation decisions.

The Government has made a clear manifesto commitment to promote the highest standards when it comes to food production.

GCC states are not significant exporters of poultry. Currently the GCC is unable to export poultry to the UK due to sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. These requirements will not change as part of a free trade agreement.

Four reports by the European Food Safety Authority assessing the possible effects of chemical washes applied to chicken have been placed in the Library. These are:

- Report of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health (SCVPH) on Benefits and Limitations of Antimicrobial Treatments for Poultry Carcasses;

- Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health on the Evaluation of Antimicrobial Treatments for Poultry Carcasses;

- Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) related to Treatment of poultry carcasses with chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, trisodium phosphate and peroxyacids; and

- Assessment of the possible effect of the four antimicrobial treatment substances on the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

No chemicals are approved for the purpose of washing chicken carcasses in the United Kingdom, and therefore, chicken that has been chemically washed cannot be placed on the UK market. Any changes would require ministerial agreement across the nations of the UK and then an amendment to legislation, which would be subject to parliamentary oversight.

While the UK was a member of the European Union, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) completed assessments on behalf of member states, including the UK, relating to the effects of chemical washes applied to chicken. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) periodically reviews the available evidence, including scientific literature, for new information that could address previously identified evidence gaps or trigger reviews of previous risk assessments. Although some new research has been published in this area since the previous assessments and has been reviewed since the UK’s exit from the European Union, this has not significantly changed the conclusions drawn by the EFSA with regard to chemical, microbiological, or antimicrobial risk. The FSA has no active work in this area and no current plans to initiate new assessments.

Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.

The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.

We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.

The British poultry sector is highly resilient and plays a significant role in the production of high-quality poultry meat. It operates in an open market and the value of commodities is established by those in the supply chain.

The Government continues to work closely with the poultry industry to tackle the recent unprecedented outbreak on Avian Influenza (AI). This includes work on improving on-farm biosecurity and a consideration of vaccination.

On 28 October 2022 we announced changes to the AI compensation scheme, allowing compensation to be paid to farmers from the outset of planned AI culling rather than at the end, and a relaxation to the enforcement of marketing rules allowing the sale of defrosted turkeys, geese and ducks between 28 November and 31 December 2022.

In 2023 and 2024 the poultry sector will continue to be able to access 2,000 seasonal worker visas to meet the pre-Christmas surge in demand for poultry workers.

Under UK regulations on the provision of food information to consumers, it is already the case that for prepacked chicken, and indeed all meat products and preparations, that has the appearance of a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcase of meat, that an indication of the presence of added water, if the added water makes up more than 5% of the weight of the finished product, must accompany the name of the food. The presence of water and salt, if added, will also be included in the ingredients list. As mandatory information, this indication with the name of the food as well as the information in the ingredients list must be marked in a conspicuous place in such a way as to be easily visible, clearly legible and, where appropriate, indelible. It shall not in any way be hidden, obscured, detracted from or interrupted by any other written or pictorial matter or any other intervening material.

Additionally, under the Food Information Regulations 2014 Regulation 7 (applicable in England, similar regulations are in place in the Devolved Administrations) a 'Quantitative Indication', commonly referred to as QUID, of the meat ingredients must be provided which can help the consumer understand what proportion of the whole product is meat.

There is no current intention to add further to these requirements. However, the Government is committed to optimising the information that is available to consumers, and the Government Food Strategy sets out work that we will be taking forward on consumer information and transparency.

Under UK regulations on the provision of food information to consumers, it is already the case with meat products and meat preparations which have the appearance of a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcase of meat, that an indication of the presence of added water, if the added water makes up more than 5% of the weight of the finished product, must accompany the name of the food. The presence of water, if added, will also be included in the ingredients list. As mandatory information, this indication with the name of the food as well as the information in the ingredients list must be marked in a conspicuous place in such a way as to be easily visible, clearly legible and, where appropriate, indelible. It shall not in any way be hidden, obscured, detracted from or interrupted by any other written or pictorial matter or any other intervening material.

Under the Food Information Regulations 2014 Regulation 6 (applicable in England, similar regulations are in place in the Devolved Administrations), the name of the food is required for food that is not prepacked, and therefore the indication accompanying the name of the food as related above will also appear. Additionally, under Regulation 7 of the Food Information Regulations 2014, a ‘Quantitative Indication’ of the meat ingredients must be provided which can help the consumer understand what proportion of the whole product is meat.

There is no current intention to add further to these requirements. However, the Government will be reviewing food labelling more broadly to ensure consumers continue to be provided with the information they need to make safe and informed food choices.