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

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) adequacy and (b) safety of the workforce in food supply chains.

Defra works closely with other Government departments to ensure there is access to adequate numbers of suitably skilled domestic and migrant workers across the agri-food chain.

Defra, the Home Office and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, work together to ensure that businesses adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring safety and wellbeing of seasonal agricultural workers.

The Health and Safety Executive requires harvesting work in a field to be assessed by the farmer, or contractor, to determine risks, both to workers and others.