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1418326

	registered interest
	date	31/01/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter dated 24 January 2022 from the Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner in response to the Government's evaluation of the Seasonal Workers Pilot, whether she plans to accept and implement the Commissioner's recommendations on (a) introducing mechanisms to listen to workers, (b) introducing an independent grievance mechanism, (c) introducing remediation for workers who have paid recruitment fees and (d) assessing and addressing risks in the scheme before expansion.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	114725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2022 answer text <p>We have noted the recommendations made in the Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner letter and will respond to her in due course.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 07/02/2022 16:41:06 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1388702

	registered interest
	date	16/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to reintroduce an extension of the Seasonal Workers Pilot to include poultry workers.
	tabling member constituency	Cambridge
	tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
	uin	94408
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2022 answer text <p>Our points-based system allows for many roles in poultry production to use the Skilled Worker route, such as poultry processors, bird dressers, pluckers, trussers and butchers for all meats. UK employers can additionally make use of the EU Settled Status Scheme for these roles, which allows EU nationals to travel to and work in the UK. The Government encourages all sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.</p><p> </p><p>Although the Government has no current plans to reintroduce the scheme for temporary visas to poultry workers in 2022, we will continue to monitor the position. Defra works closely with the Home Office to ensure there is a long term strategy for the food and farming workforce into the future.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 12/01/2022 10:15:56 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1384245

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date the most recent meeting took place between a Minister from his Department and (a) Pro-Force Ltd, (b) Fruitful Jobs, (c) Concordia Ltd and (d) AG Recruitment and Management Ltd.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	86088
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>As a result of the work on the temporary visa schemes for poultry workers, pig butchers and HGV drivers transporting food, Defra officials are in almost daily contact with the operators of the Seasonal Workers Pilot.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/12/2021 15:23:07 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1384244

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	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.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	86087
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 86086 question first answered 09/12/2021 15:19:57 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1384243

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 October 2021 to Question 58820, on how many occasions his Department has been notified of (a) an operator or (b) a farm not meeting the required standards.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	86086
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 86087 question first answered 09/12/2021 15:19:57 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1384246

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the current number of workers employed under the Seasonal Worker pilot who are subject to zero-hours contracts; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	86089
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2021 answer text <p>There are no workers employed under the Seasonal Workers Pilot on zero-hours contracts.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 09/12/2021 15:16:37 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1360349

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many complaints operators of the Seasonal Worker Pilot have received from workers employed as part of that scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Norwich South
	tabling member printed	Clive Lewis
	uin	57189
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2021 answer text <p>Defra works closely with the Home Office and the Gangmasters Labour and Abuse Authority (GLAA) to monitor and evaluate the Seasonal Workers Pilot against its stated aims and ensure that its rules and regulations are being adhered to.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes the safety and wellbeing of seasonal workers extremely seriously. The Home Office sponsor licencing system places clear and binding requirements and obligations on the operators of the Seasonal Workers Pilot to safeguard seasonal workers.</p><p> </p><p>The Seasonal Workers Pilot requires the operators to ensure all seasonal workers have a safe working environment, are treated fairly and paid properly, and robust systems are in place for the reporting of concerns and rapid action. A prerequisite for becoming an operator is that each organisation must hold and maintain licencing from the GLAA. Defra would be notified should an operator or farm not be meeting the required standards and appropriate action taken.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 27/10/2021 08:34:02 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4500 label Biography information for Clive Lewis

1361194

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2021
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government's evaluation of the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme, produced in 2019, will be published; and what recent assessment he has made of the effect of (a) the expansion of the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme and (b) use of short term work visas on levels of exploitation among seasonal workers.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	58820
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2021 answer text <p>On 22 December 2020, the Government extended the Seasonal Workers Pilot for one year and expanded the number of visas from 10,000 to 30,000.</p><p> </p><p>The extension and expansion of the Pilot for 2021 allows for further review of the Pilot, including how growers will reduce their reliance on migrant labour now we have left the EU, whilst also easing some of the pressure experienced on farms when they are at their busiest.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes the safety and wellbeing of seasonal workers extremely seriously. The Home Office sponsor licencing system places clear and binding requirements and obligations on the operators of the Seasonal Workers Pilot to safeguard seasonal workers and prevent exploitation of them.  Defra, the Home Office and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), work together to ensure that businesses adhere to the stringent requirements for ensuring safety and wellbeing of seasonal agricultural workers.</p><p /><p>The Seasonal Workers Pilot requires the operators to ensure all seasonal workers, including those on short-term temporary visas recently announced for HGV drivers, poultry workers and butchers, have a safe working environment, are treated fairly and paid properly, and robust systems are in place for the reporting of concerns and rapid action. A prerequisite for becoming an operator is that each organisation must hold and maintain licencing from the GLAA. Defra would be notified should an operator or farm not be meeting the required standards and appropriate action taken.</p><p> </p><p>We intend to publish the first-year review later this year.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 26/10/2021 15:33:15 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1360350

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are taken when a worker employed under the Seasonal Worker Pilot scheme requests a transfer to a different employer.
	tabling member constituency	Norwich South
	tabling member printed	Clive Lewis
	uin	57190
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2021 answer text <p>The Seasonal Worker pilot scheme is managed by four operators which are not engaged on a contractual basis but are chosen by requests for information managed by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Those organisations selected through the DEFRA process are licensed by the Home Office under its sponsorship regime. The Government does not allocate a budget to their overseas agents.</p><p> </p><p>Each operator manages changes of employment for the workers they sponsor. We monitor this information closely, but it is not directly held on Home Office systems.</p><p> </p><p>The Seasonal Worker pilot scheme is subject to ongoing review activity and we will make an assessment of it prior to a decision whether to extend its provisions into future years. We will publish the 2019 evaluation shortly.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 56377 56381 56384 56386 56388 question first answered 25/10/2021 16:25:07 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4500 label Biography information for Clive Lewis

1359357

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Pilot Schemes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial penalties have been levied against providers of the Seasonal Worker Pilot relating to failure to fulfil the terms of the contract; and what was the level of those penalties.
	tabling member constituency	Norwich South
	tabling member printed	Clive Lewis
	uin	56386
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2021 answer text <p>The Seasonal Worker pilot scheme is managed by four operators which are not engaged on a contractual basis but are chosen by requests for information managed by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Those organisations selected through the DEFRA process are licensed by the Home Office under its sponsorship regime. The Government does not allocate a budget to their overseas agents.</p><p> </p><p>Each operator manages changes of employment for the workers they sponsor. We monitor this information closely, but it is not directly held on Home Office systems.</p><p> </p><p>The Seasonal Worker pilot scheme is subject to ongoing review activity and we will make an assessment of it prior to a decision whether to extend its provisions into future years. We will publish the 2019 evaluation shortly.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 56377 56381 56384 56388 57190 question first answered 25/10/2021 16:25:07 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4500 label Biography information for Clive Lewis