§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the availability of labour to pick and pack horticultural crops. [47594]
§ Mr. MorleyGrowers and packers of horticultural crops have access to labour within the domestic and EU labour markets. In addition growers and on farm packers have access to labour through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) which is operated by the Home Office. Under SAWS students from outside the EU are allowed to come to the UK to undertake seasonal agricultural work between March and November.
The number of students allowed to enter the UK is governed by a work card quota. The quota for 2001 was 15,200 work cards. However on 29 January my right hon. Friend Lord Rooker announced that the quota would increase to 18,700 in 2002 and to 20,200 in 2003.
In addition the Government's nationality, asylum and immigration White Paper Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain, published on 7 February, acknowledges that there is a need for short term labour in the UK and in respect to agriculture and horticulture it makes a commitment to review the operation of SAWS to see how the scheme might better meet the needs of those sectors. This review is being taken forward by officials at the Home Office and it will involve consultation with the principal stakeholders in the agricultural and horticultural industries.