Sir, – I was rather bemused to read Derek Farmer’s bizarre letter (policy will end migration worker exploitation, Courier, February 21).
Sadly despite Mr Farmer’s obvious and complete ignorance of the facts around migrant workers, he clearly didn’t feel this should prevent him from regaling us about how we should run our businesses.
Mr Farmer has clearly benefited from working abroad, so it seems somewhat self centred to me that he feels nobody else should.
The simple fact is that without seasonal and permanent migrant workers, there would not be any soft fruit or vegetable production in the UK.
The length of the season is much longer than when Mr Farmer was a child, and there is far more of it, which means it is impossible to rely on students and mums with kids to harvest and pack the fruit and veg.
There are also issues of health and safety and underage working regulations with employing school kids.
It is worth noting however that many local people and support businesses are employed in full time work in soft fruit and veg, and their jobs are reliant on help from our friends from abroad.
Migrant labour is not cheap, and if we could automate production, we would have done.
Average wages are in fact above the minimum wage, which incidentally is rising 6.2% in April this year to £8.72, plus overtime, pension and holiday pay.
All workers pay Income Tax and National Insurance from day one, and because they are young and relatively healthy, they are making a massive net financial contribution not only to the local economy, but also to the National Health Service.
Rural unemployment is very low, and contrary to popular opinion, the work is in fact very skilled.
The Home Office’s proposed immigration policy will be devastating to British agriculture unless it is modified.
Farming businesses need a firm commitment now to increase the seasonal worker scheme for the whole of the UK from 10,000 this year to 70,000 next year after freedom of movement ends. The points based system will exclude any migrant workers coming to work full time in fruit and veg and needs to be changed.
If the Home Office are unwilling to change course, the Scottish Government proposals for a Scottish “visa” are very reasonable and sensible, and they should be given serious consideration.
James Porter.
NFU Scotland Horticulture Chair,
East Scryne, Carnoustie
Scrounger army does not exist
Sir, – Maggie Openshaw (Hypocrisy over immigration, Courier, February 21) has got the wrong end of the stick,.
The SNP objection to a new immigration system is not because it is a points based system but the points are allocated in favour of better paid jobs rather than the low.
The new Home Secretary’s system means low paid jobs can be carried out by British citizens, while the better paid jobs have to be filled in competition with foreign workers.
This will have the effect of our low paid employees creating a bigger underclass of forced labour.
It is a complete fallacy that there is a vast army of scroungers and ne’er do wells available to carry out these low paid jobs which are usually, and falsely, categorised as being unskilled.
Of course the illusion of this ‘vast army’ is what successive Westminster governments have used to justify their attacks on the poor, along with the imposition of the discredited Universal Credit system. Instead of repeating propaganda, the political debate would be better served if some correspondents put some thought into their missives.
Nick Cole.
Balmacron Farmhouse,
Meigle.
Lights but no action in Perth
Sir, – I read that Perth & Kinross Council are intending to make part of Perth a Low Emission Zone (Council chief s confirm plan for emission tests in Perth and Crieff, Courier, February 21).
As a start, why not stop the unnecessary emissions from vehicles stationary in Perth High Street and South Methven Street whilst waiting for the traffic to proceed from the old High Street at the blocked off exit at St Pauls Church?
The lights show a sequence for road traffic even though the road is blocked, it has been for several months and will be for months to come.
Did no-one in the planning or other department not think of this when consent was given to close part of the street?
Is it too much to ask for someone to change the sequence to eliminate the additional waiting time on operational roads?
Ian G Gray.
44 Balvaird Place,
Perth.
Easy solution to statue clean-up
Sir, – It would appear Dundee council has identified more creative ways of squandering taxpayers money.
I refer to the clean up operation of a statue (Bard tribute clean-up would cost five-figure sum, warns councillor, Courier, February 17).
How was the £20,000 figure arrived at?
There appears to be a worrying paucity of thought within the council offices with regard to this task.
As a very simple and fairly obvious solution. I offer the following.
Why not invite the Dundee fire chief to despatch one of his fire fighting units, with an telescopic ladder to blast the statue with a high pressure hose.
This should take all of five minutes, job done!
To salve everyone’s conscience, the council could donate a small sum, well short of £20,000, to the fire service welfare fund.,
Peter Toms.
1 Liff Park,
Liff.
Savings to be had at BBC
Sir, – The reaction of the Director General of the BBC to Boris Johnston’s proposal that licence fees should end is typical of the BBC.
The Director General states it will be necessary to dispose of buildings and cut the number of productions, vindictively naming CBBC.
The highest salary paid to a male employee of the BBC is equivalent to the salary of approximately 22 members of Parliament.
On the other hand the highest paid female is only paid around the equivalent of five members. Would this not be an appropriate way forward in saving money?
AA Bullions.
6 Glencairn Crescent ,
Leven.
