Fruit Farming (Hansard, 10 June 2004)

§ Colin Burgon
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign fruit pickers and agricultural workers he estimates came to work in the UK in each of the last three years. [175398]

§ Mr. Browne
Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS).
The number of work cards issued to SAWS participants in the last three years were:

Number

2003 23,329

2002 19,372

2001 15,258

§ Colin Burgon
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has in place to monitor the work of agencies that provide foreign fruit pickers to farming businesses in the UK. [175414]

§ Mr. Browne
Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). The scheme is administered by nine organisations, known as Operators, under contract to the Home Office.
The contracts require Operators to document their relationship with any third party that they choose to work through, including agencies abroad. They must be satisfied of the professional conduct of such organisations.
520W
The Home Office undertakes regular monitoring of all appointed Operators to ensure that there is full compliance with their contractual obligations.