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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase the number of butchers.

Defra continues to work closely with industry and other Government departments to understand labour supply and demand, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce.

Since January 2021, the Skilled Worker visa route has been open to all nationals who wish to come to the UK for the purpose of working in a skilled role – including those in butchery.

In 2022 and beyond, food and farming businesses will continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.6 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme. EU nationals who have settled status can continue to travel to the UK for work in 2022 and beyond.

The Government also encourages the meat processing sector to pursue improvements to training offers, career options and wages to ensure that the sector draws on the large domestic labour pool in the UK, as well as investing in new technology across the industry.

Defra are aware of the specific challenges faced by the pig industry with regards to a shortage of skilled butchers. In recognition of the unique circumstances facing the sector, the Government announced in November 2021 that temporary visas would be available for pork butchers to work in the UK for up to six months. These visas were an exceptional and temporary concession in addition to the existing Skilled Worker route. While applications for these visas are now closed, pork butchers can remain in the UK six months from the date their visa was granted.

In February, the Home Office announced a series of visa concessions for temporary workers of Ukrainian nationality. Butchers under the Skilled Worker route and Seasonal Worker Visa Route can remain in the UK until 31 December 2022, and temporary workers may apply for a skilled route visa while in the UK.