Written question WQ87709

I am aware of the threat posed by African Swine Fever (ASF), to the UK and our pig sector. Whilst ASF poses no risk to human health, it is a highly contagious and deadly disease for pigs and wild boar, and has been spreading across mainland Europe, leading to the deaths of thousands of pigs and causing significant disruption to the meat trade.

We continue to monitor the international situation very closely and regularly assess the level of risk we face. The risk of ASF disease incursion is currently at ‘medium’ level in the UK, however, the risk of human-mediated incursion, specifically, is considered to be ‘high’.

On 1 September 2022, new controls were introduced restricting the movement of pork products into GB, to help safeguard Britain’s pigs from the threat of ASF. This restriction is designed to permit continued, reasonable small-scale imports of pork for personal consumption, whilst minimising the risk from larger quantities of products disguised as personal imports, by ensuring their origin is traceable.

The measures implemented by our Safeguard Declaration mirror similar measures introduced in England and Scotland following extensive policy discussions with counterparts in both Governments.

We continue to work closely with the other UK Administrations on raising awareness and ensuring we are prepared for any potential outbreak. These discussions consider the level of risk and intelligence received from legitimate traders and through seizures of illegitimate products across GB.