VISA system a shambles

HUGH QUESTIONS FOREIGN SECRETARY OVER VISA DELAYS

Hugh Robertson has questioned the Foreign Secretary about the failure of British Embassies to process visas for overseas workers coming to this country to work in the horticultural sector. He particularly targeted the British Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine which is known to have opened for only two days in the month of May to process visas.

The result of this failure is that many horticultural businesses are short of labour now and are having to adjust their business plans in anticipation of labour shortages. A number of constituents, and the international labour firm Concordia, have complained directly to the MP - who was closely involved in last year's battle over the Agricultural Wages Board.

Hugh said: "It is becoming clear that a number of our embassies are not processing these visas sufficiently efficiently. Some embassies are perfectly satisfactory but others, such as Kiev, are woefully inefficient.

There is an excellent scheme, the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, which caters for the needs of the horticultural industry. It is unacceptable if the inadequacies of the visa section of the Foreign Office prevent both Eastern block workers and UK growers from benefiting.

"The consequences are potentially disastrous for the UK horticultural industry.

"I want the Foreign Secretary to intervene and sort it out."