MP asks home secretary to approve recommendations to help tackle stable staff shortages

New home secretary James Cleverly has been asked to approve recommendations which would help address the staffing crisis in Britain's racing and breeding industries.

Conor McGinn MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, has written to Cleverly, calling on him to rubber stamp last month's decision of the Migration Advisory Committee (Mac) to add six key roles to the government's Shortage Occupation List (Sol). McGinn warned that British racing's global status could be damaged if action were not taken.

The Mac has added racing groom, stallion handler, stud groom, stud hand, stud handler and work-rider to the list of jobs where visas for overseas workers should be granted with more ease.

McGinn told the home secretary, who took up his new role last Monday following prime minister Rishi Sunak's reshuffle, that the move highlighted the burden that staffing issues were placing on the industry.

Conor McGinn MP: action required to safeguard contribution British racing makes to rural economy

He added: "The addition of these key roles to the Sol is required to safeguard and grow the significant contribution that British racing makes to the rural economy, as well as to maintain the position of British racing at the pinnacle of the sport globally."

McGinn wrote that the industry had made considerable efforts to attract workers.

"However, such policies have had limited success with the rural locations of these businesses remaining a key barrier due to a smaller talent pool in these areas compared to larger towns and cities," he said.

"It can take four years to train someone to have the necessary skills to be a work-rider of thoroughbred racehorses, which is another limiting factor for domestic recruitment. This is why training yards and studs often rely on international recruitment to find a wider selection of candidates."

McGinn wrote that there was an estimated shortfall of 2,500 staff across the racing and breeding industries, which he said was "inhibiting the ability to grow the number of horses in training and reducing the ability of British breeders to produce high-quality and internationally competitive bloodstock".

He added: "It is also placing additional pressure on existing staff."

McGinn told the home secretary that approving the Mac's recommendation would allow the sport to fill the gap while also giving more time to improve domestic recruitment.

However, he warned: "If the Mac's recommendations are not approved, British racing's world-leading position in a wider global industry would come under threat and the industry's significant contribution to the rural economy would be damaged."

The Mac's recommendations and racing's staffing position were among the topics discussed in a debate in Westminster last month, after which Stuart Andrew said he would write to Cleverly's predecessor Suella Braverman to inform her of the comments.

The Home Office will publish an official response to the Mac’s recommendations in due course.

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