Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Labour shortages in the food and farming sector

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Sep 2021 Closed: 20 Jul 2022 10 recommendations 5 conclusions 1 report

There have been reports of labour shortages affecting some businesses throughout the food and farming sector, for example: farms have been unable to hire all the seasonal workers they need to harvest food (and pick other crops such as flowers); businesses in the food and drink processing sector – the country’s largest manufacturing sector – …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth report - Labour shortages in the food and farming se… HC 713 6 Apr 2022 15 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
8 Recommendation Fourth report - Labour shortages in the… Deferred

We also recommend that the Government reviews the timeliness of the data it relies on...

We also recommend that the Government reviews the timeliness of the data it relies on and, in any reply to this Report, sets out what datasets it uses to monitor the sector, how regularly these are updated, and the time lag between the period covered by the data and data …

Government response. The government intends to commission the MAC to review the SOL again later this year, so any changes to it can be based on the latest available evidence, encouraging the sector to engage with the MAC on this review.
9 Recommendation Fourth report - Labour shortages in the… Deferred

We agree that migrant workers should have a reasonable understanding of English to allow them...

We agree that migrant workers should have a reasonable understanding of English to allow them to communicate at work, integrate into their new communities, protect them from exploitation, and ensure health and safety at work. However, we do not believe this requires a blanket approach to the English language requirement, …

Government response. The government intends to commission the MAC to review the SOL again later this year, so any changes to it can be based on the latest available evidence and is encouraging the sector to engage with the MAC on this …

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
14 Dec 2021 Kevin Foster MP · Home Office, Philippa Rouse · SRO Future Border & Immigration System Programme, Migration & Borders Group View ↗
16 Nov 2021 David Kennedy · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
9 Nov 2021 Andrew Opie · British Retail Consortium (BRC), Dr Ben Broadbent · Bank of England, Kate Nicholls · UKHospitality, Madeleine Sumption · Migration Observatory, Mr Tom Southall · Cold Chain Federation, Professor Jo Swaffield · University of York View ↗
26 Oct 2021 Charlie Dewhirst · National Pig Association, Derek Jarman · British Protected Ornamentals Association, Graeme Dear · British Poultry Council, Ian Wright · Food and Drink Federation, Mr James Russell · British Veterinary Association, Mr Nick Allen · British Meat Processors Association, Tom Bradshaw · National Farmers' Union (NFU) View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
23 Jun 2022 Correspondence from the Chair to Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Imm…
23 Feb 2022 Correspondence from Minister Prentis re: Labour shortages in the food and farmi…
16 Sep 2021 Correspondence to the Home Secretary relating to the inquiry into Labour shorta…