Corporate report

APHA: business impact target assessments, 2019 to 2020

Updated 15 December 2022

The business impact target (BIT) is a cross-government target for the reduction of regulation on business. Find out more about the BIT.

Under the BIT, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) assesses the financial impacts on business of qualifying regulatory provisions (QRPs). QRPs are changes to regulatory practices that are described in a written ministerial statement. We assess the impacts of these changes through BIT assessments.

We submit BIT assessments for QRPs to the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) for validation.

Non-qualifying regulatory provisions (NQRPs) are excluded from the BIT as set out in a written ministerial statement. We submit NQRP summaries to the RPC for validation.

Read about the scope of QRPs and NQRPs in the written ministerial statement.

1. Qualifying regulatory provisions

APHA has no QRPs for the reporting period 13 December 2019 to 16 December 2020.

2. Non-qualifying regulatory provisions

APHAs NQRP summary for the reporting period 13 December 2019 to 16 December 2020 is listed in the table below.

Excluded category	Summary of measures, including any impact data where available
Measures certified as being below de minimis (measures with an EANDCB below +/- £5 million)	Due to COVID-19 restrictions there was a reduction in the number of inspections delivered in the growing season under the seed potato classification scheme. This will reduce the fee in 2021 charged to growers as charges are calculated retrospectively based on previous year activity. This will not have a direct impact until next year.
EU regulations, decisions and directives and other international obligations, including the implementation of the EU Withdrawal Bill and EU Withdrawal Agreement	The smarter rules for safer food (SRSF) package is a set of EU regulations for the protection against animal disease, plant pests, and for the organisation and performance of official controls. The package will modernize, simplify and improve existing health and safety standards for the agri-food chain. It will take a risk-based approach to animal, plant and public health protection, introducing more efficient pest and disease control measures. The package includes 3 principal EU regulations: – Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625: how controls across the agri-food chain will be monitored and enforced – applies from 14 December 2019 – Plant Health Regulation (EU) 2016/2031: controls for protecting plants from disease and pests – applies from 14 December 2019 – Animal Health Regulation (EU) 2016/429: a framework for the principles of European animal health – applies from 21 April 2021 The SRSF has increased the scope of commodities that require control; leading to approximately 700 additional new registrations from businesses needing plant passports although no fees are charged for this registration. There will be an expected increase of 65,000 consignments that require regulatory control. Official Control Regulation (OCR) 2017/625 applied from the 14 December 2019. The OCR regulation provides the legal basis for the Designation of Border Control Posts (BCPs) detailing requirements for sites, facilities and equipment which must be met by the operator. There are now more stringent requirements to operate 75 existing plant facilities made up of BCPs, Inspection Centres (IC) and Control Posts (CP) which APHA have inspected and are monitoring compliance. The need to approve 32 new applications that would provide a further 52 facilities to meet demand.
Measures certified as concerning EU Withdrawal Bill operability measures	In support of UK businesses, APHA has been focusing on new processes and IT systems needed to facilitate the continued import and export of animals, plants and derived goods post EU transition.
Pro-competition	Following consideration of the exclusion category there are no measures for the reporting period that qualify for the exclusion.
Systemic financial risk	Following consideration of the exclusion category there are no measures for the reporting period that qualify for the exclusion.
Civil emergencies	COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges to APHA’s ability to provide some services, and financial risks to raising fees and charges. In February 2020, a Coronavirus Incident Management Team was created at short notice, in line with the Incident Management Framework, to deal with and assess the risks. Real time information fed into both Defra and central government response structures to allow for the rapid assessment of risks and appropriate mitigations across government. APHA refocused its attention on business-critical activities to continue to safeguard animal, plant and public health and animal welfare. The business adapted well to smarter working initiatives, working from home and utilising virtual platforms where possible. In December 2019, a case of low pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed at a commercial chicken farm. APHA undertook depopulation and bio-secure disposal activities, and put movement restrictions in place to limit the spread of disease. To date in November 2020, there has been 6 further cases of avian influenza, both high and low pathogenic strains, in England and also cases in wild birds. APHA continues to work to deliver the disease control response.
Fines and penalties	APHA referred 322 cases to the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) for consideration of applying cross compliance penalties for those farmers who failed to TB test on time within their testing window. Severity of the penalty was dependant on the number of days overdue the test was when it was completed and imposed by RPA. Egg Marketing and Salmonella Controls: 15 Penalty Notices totalling £10,200 and 12 warning letters issued. Defra Investigation Service (DIS) referrals: 5 egg marketing cases referred for investigation and 2 successful prosecutions.
Misuse of drugs	Following consideration of the exclusion category there are no measures for the reporting period that qualify for the exclusion.
Measures certified as relating to the safety of tenants, residents and occupants in response to the Grenfell tragedy	Following consideration of the exclusion category there are no measures for the reporting period that qualify for the exclusion.
Casework	No activities listed in this section represent a change in the burden of regulation placed on business. Licensing, registration and inspection - APHA licences, approves or registers a range of premises, such as markets (and other animal gatherings including shows), animal by-products plants (including rendering facilities, knackers yards, hunt kennels, maggot farms), quarantine centres, nurseries and other plant production sites, designated inspection points and egg producers. We licence movements of animals, the export of animals, animal by-products, plants and plant products, the import of animals, plants and bees and trade in bovine and porcine semen and embryos. APHA issues authorisations to hauliers for the transport of animals. We licence trade in endangered species and register certain birds kept in captivity. These licensing activities are supported by risk-based inspection regimes, often in partnership with local authorities and are designed to ensure ongoing compliance with the conditions of approval for the premises and activities concerned. We inspect farms and other holdings in response to reports about disease risk or conditions of animal welfare and to check compliance with welfare standards for the purposes of the single farm payment scheme. APHA inspects zoos, museums and other establishments that hold collections of endangered species. Surveillance and testing - APHA undertakes surveillance to detect the presence or spread of animal diseases, for example bovine tuberculosis and salmonella, through testing samples taken on farm, at abattoirs, markets and at animal by-products plants. APHA performs surveillance to detect plant and bee pests and diseases to measure their spread. This is achieved through inspection and sampling on nurseries, in public spaces and in the natural environment. We also take samples as part of our activities to regulate the trade in endangered species, for example to establish the species or to verify that an animal has been captive bred. The majority of animal health and welfare legislation that APHA regulates is enforced by the local authorities who are the named statutory enforcers and prosecuting authority.
Education, communications and promotion	On behalf of APHA, the Defra group Communications Team has been focusing on providing information relating to the UK’s exit from the EU and continued operations during the coronavirus pandemic. Information for businesses has been through a range of channels; GOV.UK, APHA’s Vet Gateway and social media channels. Communications have encouraged businesses to prepare for the end of the transition period by explaining what will be needed in future to trade, where that information can be found and regularly publicising new requirements once agreed. APHA hosted a digital campaign to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in November 2020. APHA endorsed the International Year of Plant Health 2020.
Activity related to policy development	Part of APHA’s role is to provide expert veterinary advice and scientific evidence to Defra and devolved administrations policy development. Whilst this is often related to EU legislation, implementation is determined by the disease profile within a specific country. APHA has provided advice to Defra on its bovine TB (bTB) policies to help with the next stage of its strategy to eradicate bTB. The government sets out next phase of strategy to combat bovine tuberculosis. APHA is leading on the government’s commitment to tackle the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a range of initiatives in the 20 year vision for AMR. ​
Changes to management of regulator	Following consideration of the exclusion category there are no measures for the reporting period that qualify for the exclusion.