To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to make available the additional 10,000 visas under the seasonal worker visa scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria need to be met for her Department to bring into effect the additional 10,000 visas in 2022 under the seasonal worker visa scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timeframe is for bringing into effect the additional 10,000 visas under the seasonal worker visa scheme following her Department having evidence that those visas are needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the seasonal worker visa scheme from six to nine months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what analysis her Department has undertaken to support its position that the seasonal worker visa route may no longer be needed past 2024.

The Seasonal Worker visa route has been extended until the end of 2024, at which point the position will be reviewed. This does not mean we expect there to be no reliance on overseas labour at this point, but the sector cannot be in the same position as it is now.

The number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023, as the government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.

To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the horticulture sector among resident workers.

This year will see up to 30,000 temporary visas available, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if there is strong evidence to do so. Releasing additional quota places does not require a legislative change.

There are no plans to extend the grant period for Seasonal Workers to nine months.