Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes

(asked on 2nd December 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions workers employed under the Seasonal Worker pilot have (a) complained about their employer, (b) requested a transfer and (c) been transferred.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 9th December 2021

There have been a few instances where the Department has been notified of farms not meeting the required standard. Defra takes the welfare of seasonal workers very seriously and works very closely with operators, the Gangmasters Labour and Abuse Authority (GLAA) and the Home Office to address any concerns and ensure standards are met and maintained.

The operators of the scheme are licensed by the GLAA. The GLAA will ensure that all workers are placed with farms that adhere to all relevant legislation, including paying the National Minimum Wage. Farms are vetted to ensure that living and working conditions are of a suitable quality.

The Home Office sponsored licensing system places clear and binding requirements and obligations on the scheme operators to safeguard Pilot workers. Should any of the operators fall short in their duties as a sponsor, action will be taken, up to and including the revocation of their sponsor licence.

The Home Office and Defra monitor the scheme closely to ensure operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. The monitoring process includes site visits by Home Office Sponsor Compliance Teams, and we are working closely with the GLAA to share best practice for conducting such compliance visits and to share intelligence of our respective findings.

We intend to publish the first-year review of the Seasonal Workers Pilot as soon as possible. Additional considerations will be made for the future based on the outcomes of the review.

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