Last updated on 28 December 2011
Roles and responsibilities of Government authorities
Roles and responsibilities of Government organisations with an interest in imported food.
| Department | Areas covered relevant to imported food | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) | Import of products of animal origin (other than fishery products and live bivalve molluscs) | Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla/ Email: ahitchelmsford@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 01245 454 860 |
| DARD | Import policy for animals and animal products to Northern Ireland (including meat, but not fish or aquaculture products) | Web: http://www.dardni.gov.uk/ Email: dardhelpline@dardni.gov.uk Tel: 028 9052 4999 |
| Defra | Import policy for animals | Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/import-export/ and http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/food/personal-imports/ (for personal imports) Email: defra.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 08459 335577 (020 7238 6951 from outside UK) |
| Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) | Import of seeds, beans and plant products | Web: http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/ Email: info@fera.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 01904 465 625 |
| Food Standards Agency | Import of food not of animal origin, fish and aquaculture products. | Web: http://www.food.gov.uk Email:imported.food@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 020 7276 8018 |
| Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs | Import duties | Web: http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_Home Email: Enquiry form at https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/CITEX_CGEF Tel: 0845 010 9000 Classification helpline: 01702 366 077 Email: classification.tso@hmrc.gov.uk |
| Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) | Import of medicines and medicinal products | Web: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/index.htm Email: info@mhra.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 020 3080 6000 |
| Rural Payments Agency | Import licences for trading purposes, quotas | Web: http://rpa.defra.gov.uk/rpa/index.nsf/home Email: tsmu@rpa.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 0191 226 5050 |
| Scottish Government Rural and Environment Directorate | Import policy for animals and animal products to England (including meat, but not fish or aquaculture products) | Web: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Directorates/ruralandenvironment Email: ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 08457 741741 or 0131 556 8400 |
| UK Border Agency | Anti-smuggling controls on products of animal origin at ports and airports except in Border Inspection posts | Web: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ |
| Welsh Government – Department of Environment and Sustainable Development | Import policy for animals and animal products to Wales (including meat, but not fish or aquaculture products) | Web: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/?lang=en Email: wag-en@mailuk.custhelp.com Tel: 030 060 3300 or 0845 010 3300 (English) Tel: 030 060 4400 or 0845 010 4400 (Welsh) Tel: 0044 1443 845500 (International) |
