ILLEGAL MEAT IMPORTS

That this House notes with concern that an estimated average of 12,000 tonnes of meat products enter the country illegally each year from countries outside the EU; recognises that illegal meat imports present serious risks to both animal and human health, and threaten the survival of many species in the wild; recalls the £10 billion cost of the most recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease; deplores the Government's inaction on tackling illegal meat imports; is appalled that the number of sniffer dogs to detect products of animal origin at UK ports and airports has fallen in the last year; and calls on the Government to improve border security and pay due attention to the prevention of the incidence of illegal meat imports.