The Government has introduced a new immigration pilot scheme for 2019 and 2020 enabling up to 2,500 non-European Economic Area migrant workers, including seasonal workers from Ukraine, to come to the UK to undertake seasonal employment in the edible horticultural sector.<\/p>
<\/p>
This pilot will test the effectiveness of our immigration system at alleviating seasonal labour shortages during peak production periods, whilst reducing immigration to sustainable levels and continuing to welcome those who make an invaluable contribution.<\/p>
<\/p>
This pilot is not designed to meet the full labour needs of the horticultural sector. Rather we are seeking to evaluate the immigration pilot\u2019s ability to assist in alleviating labour shortages during peak production periods.<\/p>
<\/p>
Defra and the Home Office will work closely to monitor the pilot, and review its performance against the stated objectives. This pilot will help inform our understanding of how such immigration routes perform in a modern global context, and support the design of our new immigration system laid out in the recent White Paper. Defra is working to improve the official evidence based on temporary worker supply and demand, through a new quarterly survey of growers, the results of which we will consider carefully. We are also working closely with industry to understand trends in labour demand and supply.<\/p>
<\/p>
Immigration issues are reserved and remain the policy responsibility of the Home Office. After we leave the EU, we must ensure that we have an immigration system that works in the best interest of the whole of the UK.<\/p>
<\/p>
Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure that there is a long term strategy for agricultural labour as part of the future immigration strategy. The Home Office has launched a 12-month engagement programme with sectors across the UK to enable businesses and other stakeholders to shape the development of the future skills based immigration system.<\/p>
<\/p>
As such, there are no plans to expand this pilot at this time. We wish to fully assess this pilot and the results will help to inform the design of the new immigration system from January 2021.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T14:24:07.717Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Seasonal Workers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assistance that seasonal farm workers from the Ukraine could provide in meeting the UK\u2019s agricultural requirements; and what barriers, if any, there are to their entry.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"} ], "uin" : "HL16915"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130849", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130849/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Details of pest and disease threats to hornbeam (Carpinus betulus<\/em>), along with other plant and tree species, are included on the UK plant health risk register, which can be accessed here: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/phiw/riskRegister/<\/a>. Of the 1,040 entries on the risk register, ten of these have hornbeam specifically listed as a major host species, although hornbeam may be a minor host in relation to certain other pests and diseases listed (e.g. those which are polyphagous in nature on broadleaved trees). The risk register includes information about current mitigations in place and priorities for future actions.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-14T11:55:15.703Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trees: Diseases"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threats from disease to hornbeam trees (Carpinus betulus) in England and Wales.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL16216"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1086386", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1086386/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Since 2014 approximately £60 million has been invested in the Somerset Levels and Moors to reduce the impact of flooding. This includes National Government Flood Defence Grant in Aid, Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership Funding and precept raised by the Somerset Rivers Authority. Numerous capital schemes have been delivered to better protect communities in Somerset as part of the 25 year flood action plan.<\/p> Examples of measures taken include:<\/p> <\/p> The Environment Agency has also developed an operational plan of when and how it will bring in temporary pumps to a number of strategic locations during extreme events.<\/p> <\/p> Significant future works which are due to be delivered include:<\/p> Maintenance dredging to maintain the conveyance and channel profile of the 8.75km dredged section of the Rivers Parrett and Tone.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-19T12:25:23.53Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control: Somerset"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, since the floods on the Somerset Levels in 2014, what have been the most effective measures taken to reduce such risks; and what remains to be done in the future.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL14415"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1036924", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1036924/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Leaving the EU and the Common Fisheries Policy means that we will be an independent coastal State, able to manage and control who fishes in our waters. We will also have the opportunity to develop a more responsive and adaptive management regime with opportunities to create a more resilient, competitive, profitable fisheries sector, together with a clean, healthy and productive marine environment. The Commission\u2019s most recent policy statement (June 2018) about the State of Play of the Common Fisheries Policy can be found at<\/p> <\/p> https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0452&from=EN<\/a><\/p> <\/p> and<\/p> <\/p>