Sheep: Livestock Industry
Commons · Question 115012 · 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, what conversations she has had with the British wool industry about addressing challenges in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained shearers each year.
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...