PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(30 April 2025)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that importers of fresh fruit from outside the UK receive timely advance notification of border inspections.

Asked by:
Helen Whately (Conservative)

Businesses must notify the competent authorities in advance of a consignment arriving in GB when it contains High risk or Medium A risk plants and plant products as they are subject to phytosanitary controls. Upon completion of the notification an initial risk assessment is provided detailing whether an inspection is required. Drivers and notifiers are informed in one of two ways.

1. If the transporter uses the Goods Movement Vehicle Service (GVMS), drivers should use the ‘check if you need to report for an inspection’ option, to find out what they need to do. Drivers should check this service again before they reach the point of entry.
2. If the transporter does not use GMVS, Imports of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) will provide an initial risk assessment telling the importer/agent if their consignment needs SPS checks when they submit their import notification. If the consignment does need checks, the importer/agent will also receive a text and email message 2 hours before the transporter’s estimated time of arrival in GB. The message will confirm what the transporter needs to do. They can also check their IPAFFS dashboard.

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