2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:54 pm on 13 July 2021.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:54, 13 July 2021

I certainly agree with the Member that the hospitality sector, and the food and drink sector as a whole, offers a very attractive career for many, many people. One of the biggest reasons we are seeing a shortage in this sector—because, obviously, this falls within my own portfolio and it's been raised with me many times—is the fact that we've not been able to see workers from the EU being able to travel as freely into the UK as they were, and also we've seen a lot of workers not want to return to the UK. We are seeing a shortage of workers in the food-processing and manufacturing sector as well. So, this is an issue I am taking up with the sectors. I've got a meeting, actually, tomorrow, with the food retail sector, for instance. But I think it is important that we continue to work with the UK Government. It was something I was going to raise in a bilateral with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State yesterday, which unfortunately had to be cancelled, but I will continue to raise it with him and at the next opportunity.