§ Lord Carterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements are being made to help farmers and growers find replacements for 1,200 students from Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania who have been issued work permits to harvest fruit and vegetables in May and June but who cannot now obtain visas owing to the suspension of visa services until further notice. [HL2684]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe Government recognise the difficulties caused to some farmers and growers by the suspension of visa services in Bulgaria and Romania. However, farmers and growers are still, as well as being able to recruit from within the existing UK labour market, able to recruit students from other countries under the seasonal agricultural workers scheme, and nationals from the new EU member states can now undertake work here without prior permission, provided they register with the worker registration scheme.
The organisations that operate the seasonal agricultural workers scheme under contract to the Home Office have been provided advice should they want to pursue these options.