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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials of his Department have had with industry leaders on the demand for seasonal agricultural workers in Scotland after the UK leaves the EU.

Defra officials are having ongoing discussions with a range of industry stakeholders across the UK about securing the seasonal workforce needed in the future.

Following the decision to close the SAWS in 2013, Defra established the SAWS Transition Working Group, now called the Seasonal Workforce Working Group. This group meets regularly and brings industry and government together to monitor the seasonal labour situation across the UK. I attended the most recent meeting on 7^th September, which included organisations covering the UK.