SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS SCHEME

That this House notes that the UK successfully operated a Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme from 1945 until 2013; regrets the decision of the previous coalition Government to close that Scheme; further notes that many sectors in agriculture and horticulture are reporting acute difficulties recruiting labour for the 2019 harvest with fewer migrant workers returning to the UK; welcomes the decision of the Government to pilot a new Seasonal Workers Scheme but notes the urgent nature of the current labour shortage facing horticulture; and calls on the Government to immediately increase the size of the pilot for 2019 from 2,500 to 10,000 places, and to take immediate steps to convert the pilot into a fully operational Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme for the 2020 year with a minimum quota of 30,000 places for non-EU citizens.