Committee publication · Correspondence · 21 April 2026
Correspondence from Paul Kissack, Permanent Secretary, Defra following the evidence session on 3 March 2026, dated 13 April 2026
Summary
Paul Kissack, Defra's Permanent Secretary, responds to follow-up questions from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee after his 3 March 2026 evidence session. He addresses sheep shearer visa access, engagement on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, border control staffing challenges, and departmental reprioritisation toward EU reset and water reform.
Key findings
- Defra acknowledges a domestic capacity gap for sheep shearers despite training programmes and continues working with the Home Office on overseas access, primarily from New Zealand and Australia, while noting the specialist and seasonal nature makes long-term retention challenging
- Defra engaged 166 participants across six webinars, conducted one-to-one conversations with 17 named organisations, and visited five ports to inform the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund design; year one priorities reflect stakeholder feedback on labour, health and safety, community partnerships, trade access, and infrastructure
- Border control challenges at Sevington BCP prompted senior director visits; Defra lacks direct prosecution records for illegal animal product imports (responsibility rests with local authorities) but is establishing an Illegal Imports Improvement project with additional Dover funding
- Defra has closed the International Strategy team, reprioritised Northern Ireland Borders and Trade Programme staff, paused One Health policy coordination and Plant Variety and Seeds strategy, and delayed pesticide regulatory reform to focus on EU reset and water reform
- The £300 million 2025 spending review settlement for digital modernisation from 2026-27 to 2028-29 has been welcomed by the National Audit Office; Government Internal Audit Agency initial feedback notes 'good progress' on legacy system modernisation
Tone
ProceduralTopics
immigration-policyfisheries-managementborder-securitydigital-infrastructureanimal-welfare
Key actors
Paul Kissack, Alistair Carmichael, Emma Bourne, Emily Miles, British Wool, Home Office, National Audit Office, Government Internal Audit Agency
Notable line
“… it is likely that there will remain a gap in domestic capacity for shearers.”
Key Quotes
“Defra shares your concerns about the potential animal health and welfare impact on sheep if the national flock cannot be sheared annually.”
“A key point we heard from stakeholders was the importance of certainty and early information to help applicants prepare for bids, particularly for smaller organisations.”
“I recognise the seriousness of the nonattendance issues you have highlighted.”
“… reprioritisation is therefore a dynamic and ongoing process rather than a single event.”
“"good progress has been made on the complex exercise of modernising legacy applications" …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗