Concern for migrant workers on government labour scheme
© Tim Scrivener An independent report has called for a review of Defra’s Seasonal Workers Pilot (SWP) after concerns were raised about the safety and wellbeing of migrant workers.
The study assessed the risks of human trafficking for forced labour on the SWP and it urges the UK and Scottish governments to take action to review the scheme, which was set up in 2019 to avoid labour shortages after Brexit.
The research by the charity Focus on Labour Exploitation (Flex) is based on data collected from workers on Scottish farms. It identifies issues around zero-hour contracts, unsafe housing, debt burden on migrant workers and barriers to changing employer.
See also: Seasonal Workers Scheme expanded to 30,000 workers in 2021
Scottish rural affairs minister Ben Macpherson said: “The findings of this report are concerning and highlight the need for an urgent, comprehensive and effective response.
“With the powers that we have, the Scottish government is committed to doing all it can to address the relevant recommendations from the research.
“Many of the issues in the report relate to failures in the design and delivery of the UK government’s temporary immigration scheme – and we urge the UK government to fully engage with the findings.”
Iain Brown, chairman of NFU Scotland horticulture working group, said lessons must be learned and action taken, following the report.
“We want to see a permanent scheme that gives farm businesses the ability to recruit directly, which worked so well in the past. If farm businesses can go back to directly engaging with the recruitment process, then this will benefit workers and businesses alike,” Mr Brown said.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government takes the safety and wellbeing of seasonal workers extremely seriously, with all farms vetted by the licensed scheme operators.
“Workers should only be placed with farms that adhere to all relevant legislation, pay the national minimum wage and provide suitable living conditions.
“All of our scheme operators provide a helpline, enabling workers to report any concerns and seek assistance whenever they need.”