Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) The National Farmers Union of Scotland and (b) The National Farmers Union of England and Wales on proposed changes to the number of Seasonal Agricultural Worker visa routes from 2023.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra works closely with a wide range of industry stakeholders – including the National Farmers Union of Scotland and the National Farmers Union of England and Wales – to discuss current immigration policy and the needs of the farming sector.
Under the Seasonal Workers Visa Route agreed with the Home Office for the period 2022-2024 there will be 30,000 visas available in 2022, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if necessary.
Immigration is a reserved matter and Seasonal Worker visas under this route for the horticulture sector will be available nationwide.
While acknowledging the sector’s reliance on foreign workers, the UK is committed to becoming a high-skilled, high-wage economy and the Government has been clear that more must be done to attract UK workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.
Therefore, the Home Office announced that the number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023 to account for this focus on British workers and automation, and Defra will bring forward further proposals in due course on ways to support the sector as well as progressing recommendations from the Automation Review.
Defra is also working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to raise awareness of career opportunities in the food and farming sectors among UK workers.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed reductions to the number of Seasonal Agricultural Worker visa routes from 2023 on the agricultural industry in (a) Scotland (b) the rest of the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra works closely with a wide range of industry stakeholders – including the National Farmers Union of Scotland and the National Farmers Union of England and Wales – to discuss current immigration policy and the needs of the farming sector.
Under the Seasonal Workers Visa Route agreed with the Home Office for the period 2022-2024 there will be 30,000 visas available in 2022, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if necessary.
Immigration is a reserved matter and Seasonal Worker visas under this route for the horticulture sector will be available nationwide.
While acknowledging the sector’s reliance on foreign workers, the UK is committed to becoming a high-skilled, high-wage economy and the Government has been clear that more must be done to attract UK workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.
Therefore, the Home Office announced that the number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023 to account for this focus on British workers and automation, and Defra will bring forward further proposals in due course on ways to support the sector as well as progressing recommendations from the Automation Review.
Defra is also working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to raise awareness of career opportunities in the food and farming sectors among UK workers.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made with the European Commission in securing Part 1 listed status for pet travel between the UK and the EU.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department previously submitted an application to the European Commission to become a 'Part 1' listed third country in relation to non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets. On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of, and has now adopted, the UK as a ‘Part 2’ listed status third country for the non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets.
We are clear we meet all the animal health requirements to become a Part 1 listed third country and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. Our disease risk has not changed, and we recognise the challenges that Part 2 listed status poses for those travelling with pets and assistance dogs. We have reiterated this, and will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status, alongside securing recognised tapeworm free status from the EU.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK fishing industry of remaining under EU fishing regulations during a transitional deal.
Answered by George Eustice
The government considers that the main effect on the fishing industry of being subject to the Implementation Period is that the opportunity to change our approach to managing fishing resources within our Exclusive Economic Zone is delayed until the end of 2020. During the Implementation Period the UK's current share of quotas will not change.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK fishing industry of that industry remaining under EU fishing regulations during the transitional period after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The government considers that the main effect on the fishing industry of being subject to the Implementation Period is that the opportunity to change our approach to managing fishing resources within our Exclusive Economic Zone is delayed until the end of 2020. During the Implementation Period the UK's current share of quotas will not change.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions her Department applied the exemption in section 38(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (disclosure likely to endanger the physical or mental health of any individual) in wholly or partly refusing a freedom of information request in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
The Ministry of Justice has published information on the number of occasions that Defra has applied the exemption in Section 38(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the last 5 years. This is available in table 10 of the annual reports:
Defra does not hold figures on the use of sections 38(1) (a) and (b) individually.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions her Department applied the exemption in section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (disclosure likely to endanger the safety of any individual) in wholly or partly refusing a freedom of information request in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
The Ministry of Justice has published information on the number of occasions that Defra has applied the exemption in Section 38(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the last 5 years. This is available in table 10 of the annual reports:
Defra does not hold figures on the use of sections 38(1) (a) and (b) individually.
Asked by: Peter Grant (Scottish National Party - Glenrothes)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what instructions have been given to staff in her Department dealing with freedom of information requests on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No. 19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, in considering whether to apply the exemptions in section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Answered by George Eustice
No guidance has been issued to staff in my Department on the application of Guidance No.19 produced by the Information Commissioner's Office concerning section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act. The Ministry of Justice has published guidance on the use of this exemption: