Red tape tying up Defra efforts to ease transport of food exports after Brexit

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The huge scale of preparing the UK’s food transport industry for continued international trade after it leaves the European Union at the end of March next year has been outlined in a new assessment by the country’s National Audit Office (NAO).

“The scale and complexity of what needs to be done to leave the EU is a significant challenge and Defra [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] is impacted more than most,” NAO head Amyas Morse said.

“It has achieved ...