Enabling an innovative, productive and competitive food supply chain which invests in its people and the skills they need is a priority for this Government<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government thanks the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for its report into labour shortages in the food and farming sector. We are aware that there are both short and long-term workforce challenges across the food and farming sector, particularly with respect to seasonal labour. It is with great concern that we have seen evidence of horticulture businesses reducing their plantings, ploughing in crops or considering offshoring production because of concerns over labour availability, all of which have food security implications.<\/p>
<\/p>
Defra continues to work closely with industry and other government departments to understand labour supply and demand and its implications, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce.\u202fWe extended the Seasonal Worker visa route until 2024 and expanded the number of visas available through this route to 40,000 (now including 2000 visas for poultry workers to meet pre-Christmas demand) as a result of the clear evidence of need this year. Last autumn we delivered emergency, temporary visa schemes for the poultry, pork, and HGV food transportation sectors in response to specific challenges, and introduced an accompanying package of non-immigration measures to alleviate pressures in the pig sector, including Private Storage Aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment Schemes.<\/p>
<\/p>
As announced in the Government Food Strategy, the Government will soon be commissioning an independent review to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, covering automation, domestic labour and migration. The review will consider the challenges facing food and farming businesses to access the labour they require and will provide recommendations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4401", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Prentis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Banbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Prentis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T13:24:13.3Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food Supply"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policy on food security of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee\u2019s report entitled Labour shortages in the food and farming sector, published 29 March 2022.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "42187"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491320", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491320/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As of 30 June 2022, based on self-declared information, the proportion of ethnic minority staff in senior leadership positions and substantive Governing Governors working in public sector prisons was 6.5% and 5.6% respectively.<\/p>
We recognise that race disparities persist in the Criminal Justice System, and we are committed to actively tackling the impact of this across MoJ. In December 2020 HMPPS launched the Race Action Programme, which will increase the diversity of our workforce, address the risk of bias in our policies and tackle disparity in outcomes for prisoners, people on probation and children in our system.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T07:24:26.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Ethnic Groups"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of people in (a) senior leadership and (b) governor positions in the prison system from ethnic minority backgrounds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4620", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ellie Reeves"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham West and Penge"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ellie Reeves"} ], "uin" : "42158"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491321", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491321/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The November 2021 prison population projections published by the Office for National Statistics<\/a> show that the overall prison population in England and Wales is projected to increase to 98,500 by March 2026.<\/p> <\/p> This is largely due to the recruitment of an additional 20,000 police officers, which is expected to increase charge volumes, as well as the impact of courts working through the backlog of cases and implementing tougher sentencing measures to protect the public.<\/p> <\/p> We are investing £3.8 billion over the next three years to deliver 20,000 additional, modern prison places across England and Wales by the mid-2020s to meet this projected increase.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T07:25:54.837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisoners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of expected trends in the level of the prison population in the next five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4620", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ellie Reeves"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham West and Penge"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ellie Reeves"}
], "uin" : "42159"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491322", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491322/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are investing to make our prisons safer for both prisoners and staff through a preventative approach, including introducing specialist support and developing bespoke interventions. Over the next three years we will make available an Enhanced Support Service (ESS) to 18 prisons, where we find the most violent behaviour. ESS provides a multi-disciplinary team of a prison officer, mental health nurse and psychologist, to work with individuals, and address their risk of harm to self and others, intervening in the most acute situations.<\/p> There has been a positive evaluation about the impact of ESS in one prison and key learning from the evaluation showed a reduction in aggressive behaviours. We will continue to evaluate the impact of ESS on violence and self-harm.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T07:27:11.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisoners: Rehabilitation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the new Enhanced Support Service on tackling the most challenging behaviour in prisons.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4620", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ellie Reeves"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham West and Penge"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ellie Reeves"}
], "uin" : "42160"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491323", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491323/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Home Office have not had any such discussions with the Spanish Government.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4093", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen McPartland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stevenage"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen McPartland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T12:26:41.69Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Julian Assange"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she or her officials have had discussions with their counterparts in the Spanish Government on reported attempts to assassinate Julian Assange.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4772", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kenny MacAskill"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Lothian"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kenny MacAskill"}
], "uin" : "42209"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491324", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491324/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Immigration Minister replied on 29 July 2022.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-06T09:39:43.89Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Members: Correspondence"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 24 June 2022 from the hon. Member for Glasgow Central on Mr Dandena.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4430", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alison Thewliss"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alison Thewliss"}
], "uin" : "42053"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491325", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491325/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government published a summary of responses to the consultation on 12 April 2022 (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/corporate-re-domiciliation<\/a>).<\/p> <\/p> As set out in the response, it is the Government\u2019s intention to introduce a UK corporate re-domiciliation regime, consulting further as appropriate.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Hunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Loughborough"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Hunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-05T08:40:25.863Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Companies: Location"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken in response to the closure of the Corporate re-domiciliation consultation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "42125"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491326", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1491326/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Coroner services are funded and administered by local authorities. However, the Government recognises the pressures experienced by local authorities as a result of the pandemic and has provided £6.15 billion in un-ringfenced funding to local authorities in England and additional funding to the Devolved Administrations under the Barnett formula, to help them manage the costs of those additional pressures, which could include coroner services.<\/p> <\/p>