NPA to give oral evidence to MPs' inquiry today

NPA senior policy adviser Charlie Dewhirst will give oral evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into Brexit border delays today. 

Charlie will give evidence online to EFRA's inquiry into the impact for meat and seafood exports of the delays that have occurred since new certification requirements and checks were introduced at the start of the year. 

The session, during which Charlie will appear alongside British Meat Processors Association chief executive Nick Allen and National Sheep Association Chairman Dan Phipps, will start at approximately 3.30pm.

This session will be available to watch on parliamentlive.tv 

The NPA has already submitted written evidence to the inquiry, which you can read in the Members' Area (scroll down to Feb 24 entry).

The EFRA inquiry will explore both long and short-term action plans for exports to the EU, whilst scrutinising the Government's immediate response to disruptions since January 1.The Committee, chaired by Devon MP Neil Parish, is also asking questions of the UK's preparedness for checking food imports from the EU later this year, and what lessons have been learnt from the last month.

The session will focus on the experience of seafood and meat producers, in dealing with the new border paperwork and physical checks and the impact on their businesses. The Committee will address how far the situation has changed since January 1st and whether the problems were just teething problems, or if exporters face longer-term issues, and if so what support the Government should be providing them.