Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee

2 September 2026

Contents updated on 2 Sept 2026

The Chair opens proceedings and the Minister moves the motion, outlining that the technical instrument updates six Northern Ireland plant health and seeds regimes to keep them clear, operable and aligned with obligations under the Windsor Framework, without changing that framework or adding new business requirements. He explains the focus on biosecurity, traceability, updated EU/UK references, strengthened DAERA enforcement powers (including penalties and prosecutions), restoration context for seed potato movements GB–NI, and notes there was no formal consultation as no new policy is introduced, though DAERA/DEFRA have engaged stakeholders more broadly.

Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee Wed, 2 Sept 2026 House of Commons

00:04 - 00:18

Speaker 2

Order. The draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026. I call the Minister to move the motion. Minister Morland.

00:18 - 02:51

Speaker 7

Thank you, Chair. It's a pleasure to serve with you in the chair, Sir Alec. And I beg to move that the House approves the Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026, which were laid before this House on the 22nd of June. Sir Alec, this instrument applies to Northern Ireland only and has been developed in close collaboration with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, DAERA. This is a necessary measure to update Northern Ireland's domestic legislation and enforcement provisions relating to plant health, ensuring the continued protection of Northern Ireland's biosecurity and fulfillment of the Windsor Framework obligations.

As members will be aware, under the terms of the Windsor Framework, limited parts of the European Union law falling under Annex 2 of the framework continue to apply to Northern Ireland. Now, these include the movement of goods, agri-food standards, and animal plant health. And this instrument makes no changes to the Windsor Framework. This instrument amends six pieces of Northern Ireland legislation covering plant health, seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material. And the amendments are technical in nature and ensure that Northern Ireland's domestic legislation remains clear, operable, and aligned with requirements that already apply there under the Windsor agreement and framework.

These legislative frameworks govern matters such as plant varieties, documentation requirements, traceability, and plant health quality standards for fruit, vegetables, propagating material, forest reproductive materials, and seed potatoes. They help protect growers, traders, and consumers by setting standards for products placed on the market and by ensuring that plant material can be traced and verified. The instrument updates outdated references throughout the legislation, including references relating to Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and EU member states following the UK's exit from the European Union. It also reflects relevant EU plant health legislation that is already directly applicable to Northern Ireland, including provisions related to regulated pests, diseases, and reporting requirements. It also strengthens the domestic enforcement framework by ensuring that DAERA has clear powers to take proportionate action where plant health requirements are not met.

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