Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 October 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Jeremy Lefroy Jeremy Lefroy Conservative, Stafford 12:00, 18 October 2018

What progress the Government have made on reintroducing a seasonal agricultural workers scheme.

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Government have announced that we will introduce a new pilot scheme for 2019-20 to enable up to 2,500 non-European economic area migrant workers to come into the UK to undertake seasonal employment in horticulture. On 18 September, DEFRA published further details on the pilot and opened the selection process for operators through a request for information. The industry had until 17 October to respond, and we will now be working with colleagues in the Home Office to develop the pilot.

Photo of Jeremy Lefroy Jeremy Lefroy Conservative, Stafford

I thank the Minister very much for his reply. Recently I visited PDM Produce, which is in my constituency and that of my hon. Friend Mark Pritchard. It produces millions of lettuces a month for the UK market and imports from Europe in the off-season. It is really concerned because while it welcomes the new pilot, that is not nearly enough to ensure that it can continue to produce for the UK market, which could have an impact on our balance of payments and the prices of lettuces and salad in the shops.

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

My hon. Friend raises an important point, but he should acknowledge that this is a pilot involving the small number of 2,500 people. Typically, when the previous SAW scheme ran from 1945 until 2013, in the region of 20,000 to 30,000 people came in under the scheme each year.

Photo of Kerry McCarthy Kerry McCarthy Labour, Bristol East

The charity Focus on Labour ExploitationFLEX—has warned that the scheme to which the Minister referred involving temporary visas for non-EU workers to work on British farms could lead to a sharp rise in exploitation if there are ties to a particular employer. Later today, to mark Anti-Slavery Day, I will lead a debate on ending the exploitation and slavery of workers in the supermarket supply chain. Is the Minister aware of those concerns and will he follow this afternoon’s debate? This is one of the worst sectors for modern slavery and the exploitation of workers, so can he make sure that he is on the case?

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority regulates all labour providers, including by looking at issues such as accommodation and its costs. There was no evidence that this particular scheme was abused, but there are issues of the type of abuse that the hon. Lady talked about. The GLAA always takes strict action when it finds that is necessary.

Photo of Philip Hollobone Philip Hollobone Conservative, Kettering

Why on earth can we not find enough British workers to do these seasonal agricultural jobs?

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We have full employment and the lowest unemployment since the early 1970s. It is a very scarce labour market, and it has always been the case that some sectors in horticulture have required overseas labour—seasonal labour—to support their needs.

Photo of Alan Brown Alan Brown Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Transport), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Energy)

Given the massive gap between how many seasonal agricultural workers are required and the numbers involved in the minuscule pilot, how will the Minister cherry-pick the minority of businesses that can work on the pilot and have their fruit and veg picked, while the majority will see the fruit and veg left to rot in the fields?

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

I disagree with the hon. Gentleman. We still have free movement from the European Union at the moment, and most businesses are able to meet their labour needs from the EU. The pilot will be for non-EEA countries, and if it is successful, we shall be able to roll out a broader scheme.