Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from businesses and trade organisations on the effect on HGV driver shortages of adding HGV drivers to the Shortage Occupation List.

Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers do not qualify for Skilled Worker visas therefore cannot be added to the Shortage Occupation List.

However, in response to the current exceptional circumstances, we have made provision for poultry workers, pork butchers and HGV drivers in food distribution to enter the UK on a short-term basis to support the food and haulage sectors.

The Government continues to support the sector in solving this issue, but this must be based on sustainable solutions delivered by employers through more investment in skills and training, along with better pay and working conditions, (including facilities), rather than seeing immigration as providing an alternative to this.

Measures to address shortages being led by DfT including ramping up testing capacity is a more effective solution to issues facing the sector, rather than immigration - especially given the current global shortage of drivers.

While the Home Office regularly engages with other Government Departments and stakeholders on departmental business, the Department for Transport is leading the Government’s work on what can be done to support the sector.