Agriculture: Migrant Workers

(asked on 4th February 2019) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the paper entitled The UK future skills-based immigration system, published by the Home Office on 19 December 2018, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the recently announced skills-based immigration system on (a) the food and farming sector and (b) the UK’s security of food supply.


Answered by
David Rutley Portrait
David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 7th February 2019

It is a priority of this Government to enable an innovative, productive and competitive food supply chain.

Whilst the UK prepares to leave the EU, Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure that there is a long term strategy for the food and farming workforce as part of the future immigration policy.

Following publication of the Immigration White Paper on 19 December, the Home Office has initiated an extensive twelve month programme of targeted engagement across the UK, and with the EU and international partners, to capture views and ensure that we design a future system that works for the whole of the UK.

Reticulating Splines