Government Supply Chains: Cotton

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Thursday 24th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

It is the turn of my noble friend Lord Sahota.

[Lord Sahota (Lab)]

My Lords, in 2023 I was a member of the Horticultural Sector Committee, which looked into farming issues, including the plight of seasonal workers. Some witnesses claimed that seasonal workers on farms were being exploited by their employers, such as with non-payment of proper wages, poor-quality accommodation, no proper healthcare and other labour abuses, which those witnesses claimed were tantamount to modern slavery, but they were too afraid to come forward and report the matter to the authorities in case they were deported to their country of origin. Are the Government aware of this problem of modern-day slavery in the farming sector?