Migrant workers on British farms trapped in ‘debt bondage’, MPs told

An official told MPs recruitment agencies had not had enough time to check whether they were bringing victims of debt bondage to the UK.

Government inspectors have come across debt bondage among seasonal workers on British farms, the official in charge of labour market enforcement told MPs. (Dan Law/PA) (PA Archive)

Government inspectors have found cases of debt bondage among seasonal agricultural workers in the UK, MPs have heard.

Margaret Beels, director of labour market enforcement at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis), told a committee of MPs she was “worried” that overseas recruitment had led to some seasonal workers being stuck in debt bondage.

Speaking at the Beis Select Committee on Tuesday, she said the short timeframe agencies had to recruit workers for the scheme meant they had been unable to do the proper checks to ensure staff were not trapped by debt.

Ms Beels said: “When I last did a count last summer, there were 53 different countries from whom we were recruiting agricultural workers.

“And part of the trouble, and it goes back to government, is the number of workers that were engaged in that scheme was announced quite late on and so the operators went far and wide to attract workers in.

I have learned not to use slavery lightly as a term

Margaret Beels, director of labour market enforcement

“There needs to be a better regulated system such that the due diligence that the operators should be doing, they have time to do it.”

Asked by the SNP’s Alan Brown whether she knew how many seasonal workers were trapped in debt bondage, she said: “I do know that GLAA (Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority) inspectors are coming across it.”

Debt bondage involves workers being paid little or no wages in order to repay debts, which can include large fees charged by foreign recruitment agencies.

In 2016, a UN report described debt bondage as “the most prevalent form of forced labour worldwide”.

Asked whether this amounted to modern slavery, Ms Beels said: “I have learned not to use slavery lightly as a term.

“Very often the debts are owed, not to an employer in this country, but to somebody overseas. That makes it more difficult.”

She added that while the UK Government might find it difficult to intervene when a debt is contracted overseas, it could make sure operators had “enough time to make sure that workers are being recruited responsibly” in future.

She said: “The question is how far down the chain do operators go in terms of their own due diligence, because they will say ‘well, we make sure that the agency that we are using is a responsible agency and doesn’t do that’.

“But these supply chains are quite lengthy.”

A spokesperson for the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority said: “We are aware of a number of reports relating to alleged labour exploitation offences involving seasonal agricultural workers.

“While we will not provide a running commentary on specific investigations, we treat all allegations of labour exploitation extremely seriously and we would strongly encourage anyone with concerns to contact us. We will investigate and take appropriate action if our licensing standards are not being fully adhered to and workers are being exploited for their labour.

“The GLAA is not the lead agency for the Seasonal Worker visa scheme. We have accompanied UK Visas and Immigration on visits to farms, as we have extensive experience of inspecting accommodation and interviewing workers to check that their rights are being upheld.

“We have also been working on a package of prevention measures aimed at educating seasonal workers about their rights in the UK, including the importance of not paying recruitment fees.”