Oral Answers to Questions

Sheryll Murray Excerpts

Monday 22nd November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Priti Patel]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I would like to praise his hospitality sector. He represents a very beautiful part of the country. Of course, we want hospitality and tourism to thrive across the United Kingdom. I would be delighted, together with my colleagues, to meet him and his hospitality sector. Youth mobility is not just an EU matter; it is now a global matter. There is a great deal of work taking place on youth mobility schemes, including work that we are doing with countries outside the EU.

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

T2. Earlier this month, I met many of my local farmers through the National Farmers Union. They need agricultural workers and simply cannot fill vacancies from the domestic market. What work has my right hon. Friend done with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a solution to this issue, so we can all enjoy these farmers’ excellent Cornish produce?

[Priti Patel]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight her farmers’ excellent Cornish produce; I have sampled much of it, through her. First and foremost, through our reforms to the immigration system, there are routes in place already to provide support to the agriculture sector. I have been working with colleagues in DEFRA on that. She will be very familiar with the seasonal agricultural worker pilot scheme; as she will recall, we have increased the number of people who, through that scheme, can work in key agricultural sectors. Finally, she will be aware that a great deal of work is taking place in DEFRA to ensure more investment in people in the domestic labour market, so we are investing in skills.