 |
answer text |
<p>The United Kingdom has a highly resilient food supply chain, as demonstrated throughout
the Covid-19 pandemic. Defra has well established ways of working with the industry
and across Government to monitor risks that may arise, and be ready to respond to
them, including Government intervention when appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>In the past
months, the Environment Secretary and I have agreed a series of solutions to increase
the efficiency of our supply chain system and support businesses across the food and
drink, and hospitality sectors. These include working with the Transport Secretary.
We have adopted a series of measures to train, recruit and retain lorry drivers as
well as improve the working conditions in the industry. Our joint-Government actions
will continue to build more capacity across the food supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>Some
of these Government-led key measures include the Driver Vehicle Standard Agency’s
action to increase HGV tests to 3,000 per week, the introduction of 16-week skills
bootcamps to train new and returning drivers and the Department for Transport’s action
to streamline HGV testing with a minimised regulatory framework adding around 50,000
more tests to be conducted. Defra has also announced that up to 4700 visas will be
available for HGV drivers delivering food ahead of Christmas 2021.</p><p> </p><p>In
addition to this, the Transport Secretary relaxed driver hours regulation, allowing
more deliveries to be made during unprecedented times of national driver shortage
to manage food supply chain bottlenecks. This relaxation will last up to 9 January
2022 in England, Scotland and Wales covering the Christmas peak demand period for
food across the supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>Overall, these measures will improve the
efficiency of the supply chain and the movement of food products across the interlinked
food, drink, and hospitality businesses.</p>
|
|
