A Tory MP has hit out at “overzealous French officials” and called for an improved arbitration process to challenge “ridiculous” export issues.

Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall said one of his Totnes constituents found himself in a “completely ridiculous situation” when his shipment was seized after he missed out one word on a certificate.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said a “proportionate approach” should be taken on these issues.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Mangnall said: “A constituent of mine had his entire shipment seized in France for missing a single word on the export health certificate by overzealous French officials.

“Can the Secretary of State please reassure me that we are going to find arbitration methods to actually speed up the process to challenge these completely ridiculous situations?”

Mr Barclay said the MP had raised the issue with the farming minister (Mark Spencer) who he said is “actively engaged”, adding: “Of course, a proportionate approach should always be taken on these issues.”

Elsewhere in questions to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Barclay accused the SNP of being obsessed with Brexit.

This came in response to a question from SNP environment spokesperson Steven Bonnar, who said: “New Brexit red tape on European food imports poses further risk of rising inflation of prices such as bread, milk and even baby formula.

“So will the Secretary of State, I’ll ask again, commit to implementing food price controls if further Brexit tape leads to food price hikes that are being anticipated?”

Mr Barclay replied: “Such is the obsession with Brexit within the SNP, there’s no mention of Ukraine and the impact the war has had, there’s no mention of the strikes of farmers across the EU, there’s no recognition of the huge amount of work my right honourable friend the farming minister is doing in terms of supply chains.”

SNP MP Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) also raised the issue of food prices. She asked: “What assessment has the Secretary of State made with his colleagues about the impact of soaring food prices on those we represent?”

Farming minister Mark Spencer replied: “We continue to monitor food price inflation and work with the sector to reduce that as much as possible.

“We co-operate with not only farmers, processors and retailers but all of those involved in the sector to try and make sure that we provide for our constituents a reasonably priced food basket.

“The good news is that our food basket in the UK is actually lower than it is in many parts of the European Union.”