Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2024 to Question 9608 on Agriculture: Seasonal Workers, what steps his Department has taken to investigate allegations of abusive practices relating to the Seasonal Worker Scheme since May 2022.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the Seasonal Worker route under ongoing review and works closely with DEFRA to monitor the scheme to ensure operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. This includes changes made on 12^th April 2023, introducing rules ensuring seasonal workers are guaranteed a minimum number of 32 hours’ paid work each week. We have also increased UKVI compliance capacity to monitor welfare.

The operators of the scheme are, and must remain, licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).