I move the motions. The Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 amend the Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2018 in consequence of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The 2018 regulations specify fees payable to the Welsh Ministers in relation to plant health services, and, in particular, certain fees payable to the Welsh Ministers in relation to checks of imports of plants, plant products or other objects. The purpose of such checks is to reduce biosecurity risk and protect Wales from the spread of harmful pests and diseases. 

From 1 January 2021, plant health checks were carried out on the consignments of higher-risk regulated plants, plant products and other objects imported from EU member states, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Under a phased approach, documentary, identity and physical checks on other regulated plants, plant products and objects will be phased in throughout 2021 and 2022. The regulations introduce fees for the checks on imports of regulated plants, plant products and other objects from EU member states, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The regulations also make amendments to provide an exemption from the payment of fees for pre-export and export certification services where goods are moving from Wales to a business or private individual in Northern Ireland. The regulations will ensure that trade between Wales and Northern Ireland is not subject to additional plant health costs.

The regulations also amend the Plant Health (Fees) (Forestry) (Wales) Regulations 2019, or the 2019 regulations, to provide an exemption from the payment of fees otherwise payable to the Welsh Ministers in respect of applications to the Forestry Commission for phytosanitary certificates for export or re-export in certain circumstances. It also amends a previous error in those regulations.

The purpose of these regulations is to protect biosecurity and support trade by ensuring the continued functioning of plant health controls within Great Britain and between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. It supplements the policy on unfettered market access for qualifying Northern Ireland goods, assists in clarifying how this access operates for qualifying plants and plant products and allows enforcement action to be taken in Great Britain where appropriate.

The UK Government are making amendments that are connected to these regulations, and that includes equivalent amendments to equivalent secondary legislation that applies to England in the Plant Health (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021. The EU plant health regulation 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests and diseases of plants and Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products establish controls and restrictions that apply to the import and internal movement of certain plants, plant pests and other material. Diolch.