Notes

Nigeria's Crude Oil Output Down By Over 500,000 Barrels Daily Under Tinubu Government
Annual production of crude oil and equivalent products rose for the third consecutive year, up 1.4% to 286.4 million cubic metres in 2023, resulting in the highest volume since the start of this data series in 2016. Based on the latest available international data (2022), Canada remained among the top four oil producers worldwide. A number of basins have the potential to host significant undiscovered prospective resources (Table 4; Figure 3 and Figure 4).
Why are Seasonal Workers vulnerable?

Any amendment to the scheme based on supporting extended periods of production, both in horticulture and poultry, would call into question why other industries experiencing labour supply issues are not being supported by the scheme. For example, some organisations in the fishing sector are lobbying the government to be included on the SWS and we received one response to our CfE from a fishing processing employer who argued that seasonal fishing should be eligible. As discussed in Chapter 2, they are guaranteed a minimum of 32 hours a week at £11.44 per hour (equivalent to NLW), meaning they earn more than £360 per week. Median self-reported earnings while in the UK are£8,097 amongst those responding to the 2022 Defra Seasonal Worker Survey. Whilst this may not be sufficiently appealing compensation to encourage domestic participation in seasonal work this is a significant incentive for migrant workers travelling from poorer countries.
Who comes to the UK on the Seasonal Worker Visa?
As discussed in Chapter 2, there is no English language requirement on this scheme although some scheme operators have their own rules around language (for example requiring Russian) to facilitate informed recruitment. Guidance permits some averaging of hours within pay periods, e.g., fortnightly or monthly and therefore employers who had a longer pay period were better able to match working hours with demand for labour. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also classes agriculture as having a high risk to health due to the nature of the work.
The SWS in the UK provides one of the shortest total length of stays by comparison, aside Germany, and also requires Seasonal Workers to leave for the longest period of time before return. The roles eligible for the SWS were viewed positively by both employers and representative bodies as the most important seasonal roles including those in picking and packing were said to be covered. Seasonal workers receive relatively low wages which means they will pay modest amounts of income tax. This, and the fact that they remit more means they also likely to consume less, paying less indirect taxes as they buy fewer goods and services. Some, however, may be unaware of tax rules and personal allowances, or experience difficulty reclaiming money if they have overpaid tax. This means that they may actually overpay taxes when in the UK, as we discuss in Chapter 5.
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78% of horticulture and 79% of poultry members responding to a survey carried out by the NFU in response to our CfE did not believe automation would be available within 5 years. We saw extensive use of automation in packing and growing such as washing, packaging and watering/ventilation, but less in picking (although for some crops such as carrots and potatoes it was being used). Employers said that automation was being used where possible, however for some tasks respondents commented that it was not even in development. GLS Automation in soft fruit and top fruit picking was especially limited in the view of employers we spoke to due to difficulty in developing mechanisation for delicate produce. As we outlined in Chapter 1, evidence does suggest that experimental technology in this area is being developed and has the potential to become more widely available if investments are properly funded. The previous government stated its intention to accelerate developments in crop harvesting where demand for Seasonal Workers is highest.
The National Minimum Wage is the minimum pay per hour most employees between the ages of 16 and 20 receive, with rates depending on age and whether the worker is an apprentice. A Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of intent of the commitment, resources, and other considerations that each of the signing parties will bring. The Immigration Health Surcharge is a fee paid by migrants resident in the UK for more than 6 months to access free healthcare. His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is the government department responsible for the collection of taxes, the payment of some forms of state support, and enforcement of the Minimum Wage.
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