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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that abattoirs are appropriately staffed; and whether he is taking steps to help ensure the resilience of the carbon dioxide supply required for the slaughter of pigs and poultry.

The UK benefits from having a resilient and successful meat processing sector. However, we recognise the challenges it continues to face with the recruitment of skilled labour. The Government supports the industry in its recruitment and training of more domestic workers including through apprenticeship schemes, and in utilising the benefits that automation can bring. Defra also works closely with stakeholders across the food industry, including the meat processing sector, to encourage CO2 contingency planning and resilience. The recent tightness in the supply of CO2 has eased with the market now more stable. The industry has also taken steps to make efficiencies and to use alternative CO2 sources where possible.