The National Pig Association’s (NPA) short EU labour survey, which the association is running to back its lobbying efforts on this key issue, is closed.
The NPA said there had been a ‘great response so far’ to the survey and thanked everyone who had taken the time to fill it in.
“We have got some valuable information to to pass on to Government about the importance of EU workers to the sector,” the association said.
Seeking views
The association said this was an issue of ‘critical importance’ to the pig sector. Home Secretary Amber Rudd has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise the Government on how the UK’s immigration system ‘should be aligned with a modern industrial strategy’.
The MAC is now seeking views from across the UK economy on various issues, including the extent of EU labour employed and the type of work performed, the benefits and disadvantages of EU labour and the likely impact of changes to its availability in future. It is also seeking views on the relationship between EU and domestic labour and the issues around employing domestic labour, including skill levels and the provision of training by our educational establishments.
The NPA has been asked for its views.To inform its response and wider lobbying efforts on the issue, it asking members – farmers, processors and allied businesses – to fill in the short online survey.
The NPA expressed ‘alarm’ after a leaked Home Office document suggested the Government was intending to restrict EU labour coming into the UK, particularly for so-called low skilled work, after we leave the EU.
The association said: “It is very important for us to be able to back up our concerns over the Government’s current thinking on immigration and labour with evidence from members. So please take the time to fill in the survey!”
The NPA carried out a shorter EU labour survey a year ago, which highlighted the pig sector’s reliance on EU labour. The results can be viewed here