On 24 December 2021, the government announced that the Seasonal Worker route would be extended through to 2024, allowing overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. An evidence-based decision on the future of the visa route will be made in 2024. As announced in the Government Food Strategy, the government will release the additional provision of 10,000 visas under the Seasonal Worker Visa Route, with 2,000 of these going to the poultry sector. This means that in total 40,000 visas will be made available for seasonal workers in 2022, providing labour for food businesses across the UK. The Home Office already publishes regular updates on the number of visas issued through the Seasonal Worker route via the Quarterly Immigration Statistics, which can be found here: Immigration statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The Government does not intend to publish more frequent statistical updates on the Seasonal Worker route. As noted by the Committee, the number of visas will be tapered from 2023, to account for an increased focus on UK resident workers and automation. Defra will bring forward further proposals in due course on additional ways to support the sector, as well as progressing recommendations from the automation review. We are confident in the supply of seasonal labour through the Seasonal Worker route.