Committee publication · Correspondence · 24 March 2026

Correspondence to the Permanent Secretary, Defra, following the evidence session on 3 March, dated 24 March 2026

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies

Summary

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee writes to the Permanent Secretary for Defra following an evidence session on 3 March 2026, raising four substantive areas: the need for long-term certainty on the sheep shearer visa concession (renewed for one year); external engagement in designing the Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund; inadequate data on border controls for SPS goods; and staffing reductions across multiple Defra teams. The Committee requests detailed written responses by 13 April.

Key findings

Home Office renewed the sheep shearer visa concession for only one year, creating recurring uncertainty; Defra must outline steps to secure long-term stability for the industry.
Committee seeks clarity on how external stakeholder engagement informed the Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund design, which community groups participated, and what lessons were learned in year one.
Data on border controls remains inadequate; witnesses could not confirm whether 'drive-by' incidents are increasing or provide information on follow-up actions when vehicles fail to report to Sevington.
Defra has reduced posts in Northern Ireland team, animal welfare, and biosecurity as part of reprioritisation; Committee requests complete list of teams that have lost staff or been wound down with explanations.
Committee seeks confirmation whether Defra's digital capability has undergone independent review and whether any analysis will be shared.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

agricultureborder-controlfisheriesdigital-governmentstaffing

Key actors

Paul Kissack, Alistair Carmichael MP, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Home Office, Defra, Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Government Digital Service

Notable line

“… we remain concerned that the extension is limited to a single year, raising the prospect of the same uncertainty arising again in twelve months.”

Key Quotes

“… we remain concerned that the extension is limited to a single year, raising the prospect of the same uncertainty arising again in twelve months.”
— Alistair Carmichael MP · On the sheep shearer visa concession renewal

“During our evidence session, it became clear that data relating to border controls remains inadequate.”
— Alistair Carmichael MP · On SPS border controls and data quality

“Witnesses were unabl e to confirm whether the incidence of "drive‑bys" is increasing, and the Department appears to have limited information on follow‑up action when vehicles fail to report to Sevington.”
— Alistair Carmichael MP · On border control monitoring and compliance

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗