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Lord Sahota (Lab)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 24 April 2025

Debate

Government Supply Chains: Cotton

Contribution

My Lords, in 2023 I was a member of the Horticultural Sector Committee, which looked into farming issues, including the plight of seasonal workers. Some witnesses claimed that seasonal workers on farms were being exploited by their employers, such as with non-payment of proper wages, poor-quality accommodation, no proper healthcare and other labour abuses, which those witnesses claimed were tantamount to modern slavery, but they were too afraid to come forward and report the matter to the authorities in case they were deported to their country of origin. Are the Government aware of this problem of modern-day slavery in the farming sector?

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