UK government rejects calls for seasonal ag worker scheme
Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told MPs that reports of a UK farm labour shortage following last year’s vote to leave the EU were not supported by statistics.
As a result, the government would not introduce a seasonal workers scheme this year, he told the House of Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee.
The most recent labour market statistics showed 82,000 more workers had come into the UK from Bulgaria and Romania during 2016, said Mr Goodwill.
The number of Bulgarian and Romanian workers increased from 204,000 at the end of 2015 to 286,000 at the end of 2016, he added.
“At the moment, we do not believe there is a need for a scheme.”
source: fwi.co.uk
