The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has welcomed a report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee which criticises the government’s handling of gangmasters.

The report, which has published yesterday, condemns the “disgraceful situation” in which a large number of gangmasters are able to operate illegally. It also criticises the government for not having a co-ordinated policy of its own on the issue.

Consequently, it is calling on the government to make the licensing of gangmasters compulsory and is asking for a single minister to be in charge of all gangmasters activities.

Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the REC, said: “We agree with the committee that better co-ordination across government is needed, and responsibility for gangmasters should be given to a single minister.

“We have been very supportive of the private members bill introduced by Jim Sheridan, although it only applies to agriculture, and gangmasters are equally prevalent in many other sectors.