UK doesn't have resources to cut export red tape yet, says minister
Zeitner would love to reduce Brexit burden of paper export health certificates, but 'fairly tight financial constraints' are delaying action
Westminter is “well aware” of the Scottish salmon industry’s desire for export health certificates to be digitised but doesn’t have the resources to replace the current system of paper certificates, the UK Government’s food security and rural affairs minister Daniel Zeichner said today.
Zeichner was speaking to Fish Farming Expert during a visit to salmon farmer Scottish Sea Farms’ stand at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona.
“The Scottish farmed salmon industry makes a huge contribution to feeding the nation,” said Zeichner. “That’s really important to me, and [the sector] is one of the great UK success stories, so I’m very, very interested to learn more.”
Frustrated by delays
When asked if he’d had any requests from fish farmers to help them with either legislative or administrative changes, the Labour minister replied: “Everywhere that people are trying to grow their businesses, they find frustrations with the current planning and regulatory system. It’s one of the things that (UK prime minister) Keir Starmer’s been very keen to talk about, that we need – if we’re going to grow the economy – to deal with the very long delays to getting things done in our country. I hear that, but it’s complicated and of course some of these issues are devolved and for other administrations to make their own decisions on.”
When asked if salmon farmers had requested the digitisation of export health certificates - a time consuming and expensive layer of administration required since Brexit – Zeichner said: “It has been raised frequently. Tavish Scott (chief executive of trade body Salmon Scotland) is a very diligent person when it comes to these conversations, so I am well aware of the request and I’d love to do it, but I’m afraid at the moment we are operating within fairly tight financial constraints but it’s certainly on our list of things to do.
“It is a resource constraint. Obviously, we are in discussions with the EU around our future relationship, so there’s lots of things going on, but I absolutely appreciate the problem and it is explained to me on a regular basis.”
