Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact on farm businesses and the sheep industry of the withdrawal of visa concessions allowing for temporary employment of sheep shearers.

Defra recognises the good work that British Wool does in training domestic sheep shearers and the continued challenges the industry faces with a national sheep flock of around 30m sheep in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained shearers. We are also aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in recent years in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers and in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock.

Defra continues to work with the industry in supporting the training of UK resident shearers. Visa concessions are a matter for the Home Office.