§ Angela EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to tackle the illegal exploitation of
UK imports of milk, 2002–02
444W
Country 2000 2001 2002 t'0001 Percentage of total new UK supply t'0001 Percentage of total new UK supply t'0001 Percentage of total new UK supply Irish Republic 62 0.4 56 0.4 27 0.2 France 9 0.1 10 0.1 11 0.1 Germany 20 0.1 12 0.1 6 0.0 Denmark 26 0.2 10 0.1 1 0.0 Belgium 7 0.1 4 0.0 2 0.0 Netherlands 0 0.0 1 0.0 2 0.0 Others 2 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Total 126 0.9 93 0.6 49 0.3 1 Product weight. Source: HM Customs and Excise/Defra. migrant workers in the cockle industry, with particular reference to improving co-ordination with the Home Office. [154634]
§ Alun MichaelThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is one of the departments which participates in Operation Gang master. This multi agency initiative which also includes the Home Office Immigration Service, is designed to collate intelligence and to sponsor joint operations against those gang masters who break the law while operating in the informal economy. This includes the provision of labour to the cockle industry.
Government Departments also undertake individual compliance activity against illegal working. In this context the Immigration Service has conducted three operations with other agencies since June 2003 targeted at illegal working in the cockle industry in the Morecambe Bay area.
The Government are currently considering the details of the Gang master (Licensing) Bill presented by the hon. Member for West Renfrewshire (Jim Sheridan) as a private members bill. This provides for a licensing scheme which would, if introduced, regulate the activities of gang labour providers in the agriculture and related sectors.