Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Baroness Byford
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will increase the number of permits to work in the United Kingdom issued under the seasonal agricultural workers scheme; and [HL6030]

Whether they have undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the possible ending of the seasonal agricultural workers scheme in 2010. [HL6031]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead)
A regulatory impact assessment was prepared in respect of the proposal to end the seasonal agricultural workers scheme (SAWS) as a scheme for non-EU nationals in 2010. The decision to end the scheme on this basis was superseded by the subsequent decision to continue restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers’ access to the labour market following those countries' accession to the EU, and the related decision to restrict the SAWS to participants from those countries while those restrictions remain in force. A copy of the regulatory impact assessment has been placed in the Library of each House.