Migrant workers bring real benefits and challenges to the rural community

The movement of people and labour into local communities is, and always has been, absolutely essential to our economy, including the rural economy.

Speaking at an East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) co-hosted national migrant workers conference in London this morning, Rural Affairs Minister, Barry Gardiner, told senior decision makers from government departments, agencies and the private sector, that migrant workers make a major contribution to our local communities.

"At crucial points over the past century and beyond we have relied on visitors and migrants to supply essential capital to our economy and plug labour gaps when no others could be found. Similarly there are times when UK workers migrate.

"Most of us recognise the major contribution that migrant workers can bring, both socially and economically.

"In today's fast moving labour market, the number of migrant workers coming to the UK has grown significantly in the last few years. This is not just an urban trend, a good proportion of these workers are finding their way to rural areas.

"Recent research by the EEDA estimated that up to 80, 000 migrants worked in the Eastern region last year, with migrant workers contributing about £360m to the economy of the East of England."

Mr Gardiner continued:

"The migrant labour force is ethnically and culturally diverse. It includes the highly educated and skilled, many who are highly motivated but have no formal education, people who come as seasonal workers, and others who come with their families seeking permanent employment.

"The fact is there are vacancies in the job market in rural areas.

If migrant workers were not available, some businesses would not be able to function at full capacity.

"So the benefits of migrant workers and successes of diversity are real, and need to be recognised but if we accept the benefits that migrant workers bring, we ought to be prepared to tackle the problems they face and that are sometimes faced by local communities.

"Issues faced by migrant workers include lack of information, problems accessing services and support, problems of exploitation and low pay, problems arising from the lack of interaction with local communities, and problems of competition or conflicts with 'indigenous' communities."

Mr Gardiner stressed that these issues are similar for both rural and urban settings and to those raised by other disadvantaged groups.

"The problems facing migrant workers are rising up the agenda for many organisations and government departments, including Defra. We must now be looking at what more we can do to address these issues, how we can advance social cohesion, and how we can provide more support to migrant workers, to local service providers, and to local communities.

"It is reassuring to see how much can happen when we start working together to tackle some of these issues.

"Work by the Citizens Advice Bureau and the TUC has drawn attention to the plight of some migrant workers - people who pay their way, people who are legally entitled to be here. Both are working to provide information, advice and best practice guidance to tackle a range of problems.

"Central government is taking action too. The Gangmasters Licensing Act has introduced arrangements to tackle the specific problems of unscrupulous gangmasters exploiting their workers - including migrant workers in the agriculture and food processing or packaging industries. These are industries where a large proportion of the temporary workforce is made up of migrant workers.

"The Government is aware that migrant workers may face difficulties in understanding and asserting their rights. It is particularly important to get information to potential work-seekers before they leave their own country. We have offered to work with all new Member State Governments to help ensure their nationals are informed of the implications of working in the UK, including access to statutory employment rights."

Mr Gardiner said he was encouraged by the level of inter-agency and cross-government work.

"Increasingly, government departments, local authorities, regional development agencies and a whole host of other organisations are joining up to generate energy, leadership and focus.

"We all need to work together to share best practice approaches, to ensure lessons are learned from past experiences of migration, and to ensure a more strategic approach to tackling these important issues. Together, we can be even more active and effective in our support for the valuable migrant worker community."