Government response to EFRA Committee report on labour shortages
Written by Defra Press Office
On Wednesday 6 April, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published a report on Labour shortages in the food and farming sector.
This has received national press coverage in the Financial Times, The Independent, BBC News Online, BBC Farming Today, BBC Today Programme, Daily Mail, as well as in trade and regional titles such as Yorkshire Post and Farmers Weekly.
The Committee’s recommendations will be carefully considered and responded to in due course.
A government spokesperson said:
On 24 December 2021, the government announced that the seasonal worker visa route would be extended through to 2024. The route allows overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops.
In addition, we have further amended the pay requirements for seasonal workers, which means that whilst seasonal workers must still receive £10.10 per hour, we have removed the minimum salary requirement, which will give growers greater cost certainty for the year ahead.
The government encourages all sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology. To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and drink sector among UK workers.
Follow Defra on Twitter, and sign up for email alerts here.
Continue reading on Defra Website...
Written by Defra Press Office
On Wednesday 6 April, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published a report on Labour shortages in the food and farming sector.
This has received national press coverage in the Financial Times, The Independent, BBC News Online, BBC Farming Today, BBC Today Programme, Daily Mail, as well as in trade and regional titles such as Yorkshire Post and Farmers Weekly.
The Committee’s recommendations will be carefully considered and responded to in due course.
A government spokesperson said:
On 24 December 2021, the government announced that the seasonal worker visa route would be extended through to 2024. The route allows overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops.
In addition, we have further amended the pay requirements for seasonal workers, which means that whilst seasonal workers must still receive £10.10 per hour, we have removed the minimum salary requirement, which will give growers greater cost certainty for the year ahead.
The government encourages all sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology. To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and drink sector among UK workers.
Follow Defra on Twitter, and sign up for email alerts here.
Continue reading on Defra Website...