The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has highlighted that a “significant number” of meat imports have passed through Dover Port without being checked at the Border Control Post for dangerous diseases.
The Committee said there were “widespread concerns” among the farming and horticultural sectors that limited biosecurity checks may pose “severe risks” to UK livestock and plants.
EFRA said there was growing evidence that due to a reputation of inadequate controls at the Port of Dover, criminal gangs were bringing products into Britain that would not legally be sold on the continent.
This comes following a previous report from the EFRA Committee, which highlighted that the UK system had “limited powers” to halt the volume of meat entering the UK.
Increasing numbers of imports go unchecked
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a document containing data that showed the percentage of consignments of meat and plant products that were taken, after being flagged, from Dover to the sole Border Control Post in Sevington, which is located 22 miles from the port.
Defra provided data for three sample months, which were November 2024, August 2025 and November 2025.
Comparisons showed that in November 2025, 18% of flagged consignments of animal-origin such as meat or dairy were not taken to Sevington despite being directed to by the digital systems once they entered Dover, and therefore were unchecked by BCP officials. This was up from 8% in August 2025.
Defra referred to these non-attendance incidents as “drive-bys”. A more comprehensive overview of consignment checks per month since Sevington began operating is not possible due to gaps in data. The data is collected by Ashford Port Health Authority, which operates Sevington.
Alistair Carmichael, chair of the EFRA Committee, commented: “This new evidence from Defra paints a picture of a dysfunctional system. Unchecked meat and plant products carrying potentially devastating diseases are being let in through the front door. The risks to our livestock and plants are grave and very real. Both the horticultural and livestock sectors see this as a disaster waiting to happen. The Government has put all its eggs in the Sevington basket and it needs to make this system work at least until a new system can be agreed with the EU.
“A source of both hope and frustration appears in the very last paragraph. It suggests that when they had a go chasing up on drivers, the drive-bys fell and more checks were carried out. But that was apparently only a pilot and only for plant products. In other words, Government won’t commit the resources to keep this going and have not so far expanded it for meat and dairy imports. How terribly short sighted that will look if another outbreak of Foot and Mouth arises from this farce.”
Responding to EFRA, councillor Kevin Mills, leader of Dover District Council, said: “The findings of the EFRA Committee are clear, as is this latest evidence published by the Committee that further highlights failing border operations at Sevington BCP, which Dover Port Health Authority has consistently highlighted to the Government. Change is needed now, facilities and controls have to be at and take place at the border, which is Dover and not 22 miles away in Ashford.”
Ashford Port Health Authority calls EFRA figures “misleading”
Anthony Baldock, corporate director of health and wellbeing at Ashford Port Health Authority, stated: “We were disappointed that EFRA chose to issue a statement that presented just a portion of the facts. Despite numerous problems including IPAFFS giving incorrect information to importers, Ashford Borough Council and our partners including importers and their agents have achieved huge success made amazing progress and continue to strive for improvements.
“We are proud of our Port Health Team who have carried out substantial inspections of consignments over recent years and been integral to safeguarding against serious diseases such as Foot and Mouth and African Swine Fever. Our swift actions in this regard have been widely recognised.
“The figures EFRA chose to release were somewhat misleading as they reference only one element of the multiple lines of defence within the UK’s import controls regime across Border Control Posts. Further action can also be taken by Defra outside of these processes. It is for this very reason that a multi-agency approach is taken. It is important to note even where loads may not have arrived, further action by way of the local authority is always taken to control any SPS risks.
“Border Control Post staff remain committed to working closely with Defra, HMRC, APHA and other partner agencies to strengthen system integration, improve data sharing and ensure that consignments requiring official controls are appropriately routed and presented for inspection.
“Protecting the UK’s biosecurity and preventing the introduction of serious animal diseases remains our highest priority, and we will continue working closely with national partners to ensure the border control system remains robust and effective.”
