Shortage of Workers Debate

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Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Lord Cormack

Main Page: Lord Cormack (Conservative - Life peer)

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Thyroid Patients: Liothyronine

Shortage of Workers

Lord Cormack Excerpts

Defence Spending Priorities: NATO Summit
Wednesday 6th July 2022

(1 year, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Butler-Sloss Portrait Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
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My Lords, fruit and vegetables are rotting in the fields. What on earth are the Government doing to get enough seasonal workers to pick them?

Lord Cormack Portrait Lord Cormack (Con)
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Send Boris!

Baroness Stedman-Scott Portrait Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)
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I will leave that to my noble friend to make the suggestion.

The SAWs visa scheme makes sure that people can have a visa if employers promise to pay them over £20,000. I am pleased about that, because then the “cheap labour” heading goes. One swallow does not make a summer, but today I spoke to one of the biggest fruit providers in Kent and it has managed quite well in getting in seasonal workers. If you pay and treat them well, and give them good accommodation, it seems they will come.

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