Sheep: Livestock Industry
Commons · Question 115011 · Tabled 23 Feb 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Question
Asked by Helen Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to Questions 112298 and 112296, what steps her Department is taking with the British sheep industry to help address workforce availability of sheep shearers.
Answer
Answered by Dame Angela Eagle, 3 Mar 2026
With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock. We acknowledge that industry faces continued challenges each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of tr...