Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Health and Safety Executive to reduce (a) farm deaths and (b) farm-related work accidents.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the regulation of health and safety standards on Great Britain’s farms. Agriculture has the highest rates of injury and ill health of any industry sector and the HSE is working with key stakeholders in the industry to change behaviours in order to improve the management of risks on farms. The HSE’s website - Agriculture health and safety - provides essential information and guidance on health and safety in agriculture. The industry, via the Farm Safety Partnership Farm Safety Foundation / Yellow Wellies - YellowWellies.org, is also a key partner in the HSE’s Working Minds campaign and supporting farmers to manage stress and mental wellbeing.

Defra works with the HSE to ensure that farmer feedback informs the HSE’s work.