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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the 14-day quarantine rules apply to farmers who are able safely and need urgently to harvest their crops.

We recognise and appreciate our dedicated farmers who continue to work tirelessly during this challenging time to keep our nation fed.

Public health remains the UK's top priority, which is why we make changes to the Travel Corridor list as necessary.

Those arriving from countries not included on the flight corridor exemption list - except for those travellers exempt from UK border rules - must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.

Farmers and farm workers are not included in this exemption list and must therefore self-isolate. However, there are special arrangements in place for seasonal horticultural workers that enables them to go straight to the farm where they are working and commence work immediately whilst self-isolating.

Relevant guidance outlining this advice can be found here:

Travel corridors:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors

Travellers exempt from border rules in the UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules