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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many pigs have been culled as a result of the shortage of slaughterhouse staff; and what has been the take-up to date of the extended seasonal workers scheme, due to end on 31 December.

Defra has been working closely with pig producers and the processing sector in recent months. We are very conscious of the impact that the culling of animals on farm has on individual pig farmers. We announced a series of measures on 14 October that will support the pig sector and help address the current challenges it is facing. These include allowing up to 800 pork butchers to apply for a six-month working visa to the UK, a suspension on the statutory levy for pig farmers and producers during November 2021, and a private storage aid scheme which will enable meat processors to store slaughtered pigs for three to six months so that they can be preserved safely and processed at a later date.

Defra does not collect data on the number of pigs culled on farms. Producers, who are responsible for the welfare of animals on farm, are also not required to submit such data to us. However, from our engagement with the pig sector, we understand that around 7800 pigs have been culled on farms as a result of the shortage of workers in slaughterhouses. This is largely due to the backlog of pigs on farm caused by a unique combination of factors including shortages of labour in the processing sector, disruption to the export market and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government has announced that up to 5500 poultry workers and 5000 HGV drivers transporting food and fuel will be able to enter the UK for work in the lead up to Christmas 2021. HGV drivers entering under the temporary visa scheme will be able to stay in the UK up to 28 February 2022 and poultry workers up to 31 December 2021. In addition, up to 800 temporary pig butchers will be able to enter the UK to work for six months from the point of issue of the visa.

The temporary visa scheme for poultry and HGV workers has now opened and scheme operators are working directly with the sector. Industry interest and engagement has been positive.