BMPA responds to EFRA report on “crippling” labour shortages
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has voiced concern following the findings of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee’s latest report on the ongoing labour shortages.
The new report calls for a “radical rethink” of labour strategy, including a review of the skilled workers visa scheme, and for the seasonal workers pilot visa scheme to be made permanent.
Commenting on the report, Neil Parish, chairman of the EFRA committee, said: “The government’s attitude to the plight of food and farming workers was particularly disappointing.”
Within the report, MPs said they were “struck by the government’s failure to grasp the labour issues” and there had been an “unwelcome tendency … to blame the sector for not doing more to tackle the problem.”
BMPA said that the British meat industry, along with many other frontline sectors, had experienced first-hand the crippling effects of losing around 15% of its workforce to a combination of the new post-Brexit immigration regime and covid.
According to the Association, the new report from the EFRA committee highlights the damage that government inaction is having on the UK food sector.
The ‘wait and see’ approach
CEO of the BMPA Nick Allen said: “It’s a concern that, over the past few years, the government has consistently taken a ‘wait and see’ approach to looming labour shortages in Britain’s strategically important food supply chain. Now, as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, we find ourselves faced with a severe test of the UK’s food security, it’s clear that this approach has allowed structural weaknesses to develop, which have compromised Britain’s food resilience.”
He continued: “Yet again, we find ourselves imploring government on behalf of British food producers and consumers to listen, understand and act on the clear warnings about labour shortages we’ve been voicing, and which the EFRA Committee has articulated in their report today.
“We would urge the government to use their newfound control over our immigration system to solve the chronic labour crisis that is currently impeding ours and many other sectors across the whole economy.”
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