Labour in the food supply chain

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 13 Mar 2020 Closed: 24 Nov 2021 Parliament page
There is a high demand for non-UK workers in agriculture and in the wider food supply chain. Veterinarians, who provide certification for the import and export of animals to third countries and provide official controls at food exporting premises, abattoirs and border inspection posts, are currently on the Shortage Occupation … Read more
4 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
1 Letter
4 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
14 May
2021
Report published
13 Jan
2021
Correspondence
22 Dec
2020
Report published
17 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
17 Nov
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
21 Oct
2020
Oral evidence
21 Oct
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Hybrid
15 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
15 Sep
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
7 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
7 Jul
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
17 Nov 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Kevin Foster · Home Office Philippa Rouse · SRO Future Border & Immigration System Programme, Migration & Borders Group Tim Mordan · Defra Victoria Prentis · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
21 Oct 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Kevin Foster · Home Office Victoria Prentis · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
15 Sep 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Richard Griffiths · British Poultry Council Simon Doherty · British Veterinary Association (BVA) Tim Rycroft · Food and Drink Federation
7 Jul 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Mr David Camp · Association of Labour Providers Tom Bradshaw · National Farmers' Union (NFU)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - The UK’s new immigration policy and the food supp… HC 231 22 Dec 2020 12 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
12 results
1 Recommendation
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
In order to secure the labour it requires to maintain production levels under the new...
In order to secure the labour it requires to maintain production levels under the new immigration policy, the food supply chain will have to attract more resident staff. Although it must be recognised there are significant structural barriers preventing many … Read more
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2 Recommendation
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
The UK is competing globally for skilled labour, the availability of which is vital to...
The UK is competing globally for skilled labour, the availability of which is vital to the ongoing success of the UK food supply chain. It is important therefore that bureaucracy and fees are minimised, and their impact kept under review. … Read more
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3 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
The example of the veterinarian sector highlights the important role that overseas- trained employees undertake...
The example of the veterinarian sector highlights the important role that overseas- trained employees undertake in the food supply chain, in this case working in abattoirs that are unattractive to UK-trained vets. In addition, these Official Veterinarians face an increase … Read more
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4 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
For those employing skilled workers, it is important to ensure that pay and conditions reflect...
For those employing skilled workers, it is important to ensure that pay and conditions reflect the nature of the work in order to help attract more UK workers into the food supply chain. For example, the Government’s work to increase … Read more
Government Response
4.1. The Government agrees with the need for employers to ensure pay, working conditions, and training within the food supply chain are attractive to domestic workers. the short term, and … Read more
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5 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
By focusing on academic qualifications, the new immigration policy takes a narrow focus on skills,...
By focusing on academic qualifications, the new immigration policy takes a narrow focus on skills, although we welcome the Government’s decision to reduce the threshold to the equivalent of A-levels or Scottish Highers (RQF3/SCQF6). We are concerned that this policy … Read more
Government Response
5.1. In addition to strengthening domestic recruitment pipelines, and supporting the creation of new skills development programmes aimed at UK workers, the Government agrees with the committee that we must … Read more
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6 Recommendation
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
Food supply chain businesses should seek to attract the unemployed who may previously have worked...
Food supply chain businesses should seek to attract the unemployed who may previously have worked in other sectors of the UK economy through better pay and conditions and offering training opportunities. The Government should also play a role in supporting … Read more
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7 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
The lack of a transition period for the introduction of the new immigration policy creates...
The lack of a transition period for the introduction of the new immigration policy creates risks and therefore Defra, the Home Office and the Department for Work and Pensions must work together to closely monitor the food supply chain to … Read more
Government Response
7.1. On the 22 December 2020, Defra announced that the Seasonal Workers Pilot would be extended and expanded for an additional year in 2021, with 30,000 visas available for those … Read more
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8 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
It is a matter of concern that there continues to be no single, agreed figure...
It is a matter of concern that there continues to be no single, agreed figure for the aggregate number and the breakdown by nationality of seasonal agricultural workers, given the importance of this data for the formulation of policy. The … Read more
Government Response
6 First Special Report of Session 2021–22 8.1. The Government is grateful to the committee for highlighting the importance of technology and automation for the future of the agri-food sectors, … Read more
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9 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
While we commend Defra for standing up the Pick for Britain scheme so quickly and...
While we commend Defra for standing up the Pick for Britain scheme so quickly and for promoting it successfully, this cannot hide the fact that it did not achieve what it hoped to do: attract a significant number of British … Read more
Government Response
6.1. As the Government stated in our original submission to this enquiry, producing a single aggregate number for seasonal labourers in the UK is challenging. The varied and temporary nature … Read more
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10 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
We therefore recommend that the Seasonal Workers Pilot for 2021 should be expanded to include...
We therefore recommend that the Seasonal Workers Pilot for 2021 should be expanded to include other food supply chain and agricultural sectors beyond edible horticulture, and have a sufficiently generous cap that allows all businesses to recruit the labour they … Read more
Government Response
7.1. On the 22 December 2020, Defra announced that the Seasonal Workers Pilot would be extended and expanded for an additional year in 2021, with 30,000 visas available for those … Read more
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11 Conclusion
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
While the agricultural and food manufacturing sectors have a good record on investing, one way...
While the agricultural and food manufacturing sectors have a good record on investing, one way of meeting the challenges of the new immigration policy is for the food supply chain, assisted by innovative and well-designed Government schemes, to become more … Read more
Government Response
8.1. The Government is grateful to the committee for highlighting the importance of technology and automation for the future of the agri-food sectors, and acknowledge the financial and logistical challenges … Read more
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12 Recommendation
Third Report - The UK’s new immigr…
We welcome the announcement in November of additional Government funding for new technology, and call...
We welcome the announcement in November of additional Government funding for new technology, and call upon Defra to publish a strategy within 6 months setting out how it will work with technology providers and the food supply chain to ensure … Read more
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Correspondence 1 letter
13 Jan 2021 Correspondence from Gillian Keegan MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, Department for Education, regarding the Union Learning Fund, 17 December 2020
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