Northern Ireland food checks under no-deal Brexit to remain secret

摘要

Northern Ireland’s agriculture department has refused to reveal its plans for cross-border animal and food health checks under a no-deal Brexit, on the grounds that disclosure would have a “damaging effect” on “international relations”. Although the plans would have to be implemented in less than three weeks’ time in the event Theresa May’s departure agreement fails to pass a third vote, authorities said such a disclosure would “weaken or inhibit NI’s position in the negotiations” on Brexit. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs conceded there were public interest grounds to release information about how it would protect public and animal health in a no-deal scenario. However, it said these were not as important as political considerations. “The arguments for and against disclosure have been weighed up and whilst the general arguments in favour of disclosure apply, the balance of the public interest is in favour of withholding the information as it would have a damaging effect on UK and international relations without a compensating benefit to the public,” Daera said in response to a freedom of information request. Although the UK, Ireland and the EU have published hundreds of no-deal notices for other sectors and for consumers, none has yet published its no-deal plans for Northern Ireland food safety or security. In an effort to achieve disclosure, Daera was asked to provide correspondence on no-deal planning in the past six months.