Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Movement of Horticultural Goods

Wednesday 26 February 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial officials are addressing difficulties faced by GB-based seed shipping companies.
  • The horticultural working group is reviewing banned plants on a species-by-species basis.
  • Updates on progress are being provided to address the movement of plants and cut flowers from GB to NI.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gregory Campbell DUP East Londonderry
Northern Ireland Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The situation remains difficult for retailers in Northern Ireland trying to order products from GB-based companies, according to the Horticultural Trades Association.

Question

The situation remains difficult. In fact, the Horticultural Trades Association said that it remains “impossible” for some retailers who are trying to order products from GB-based companies for consumers in Northern Ireland. Everyone can complain about that, but some of us are trying to do something about it. The Government are the people who can bring pressure to bear to resolve this problem for consumers in Northern Ireland, so what action is being taken to try to resolve it?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Fleur Anderson)

Officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are following up specifically with the companies that are most affected, such as seed shipping companies. Shipping seeds is allowed, using phytosanitary certificates, but business-to-business posting is currently smoother than business-to-consumer posting. Solutions to this issue are being worked out within the requirements of the Windsor framework, and guidance should be updated shortly.

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Q2 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
Northern Ireland
Context

The Horticultural Trades Association reports ongoing difficulties with the supply of horticultural goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Question

I thank the Minister for her answer, but we want to know more detail of the progress that the horticultural working group is making on resolving the issues to do with the movements of plants and cut flowers from GB to NI under the Windsor framework. Can she please update us on that as a matter of urgency?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Fleur Anderson)

I can provide more updates. The banned plants are being worked through species-by-species. There were 11 in 2023 and 10 in 2024, and we are working through each one of those. The working group is taking each of those on a case-by-case basis and working through each issue as it arises.

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