Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing (a) education, (b) training and (c) skills provision to support recruitment and retention in the food and farming supply chain.

The government recognises that access to a skilled workforce is essential to the resilience and long-term success of the food and farming supply chain. The Farming Roadmap 2050 sets out a long-term vision for a productive and resilient farming sector, including support for skills, workforce development and career pathways.

Employers across agriculture, food production and processing help shape technical qualifications and apprenticeship standards, helping to ensure training reflects workforce needs. Young people and adults can access a range of routes into these sectors, including apprenticeships, T Levels, technical qualifications, further education courses and higher technical qualifications, alongside provision delivered by specialist land-based colleges.

In 2025/26, the government is investing £154 million in programme funding for land-based colleges, supporting the specialist training and facilities needed to develop the skilled workforce the food and farming sectors require.