How GLAA operates – various questions

Freedom of Information Act Request

Ref: FOI 22-23 23

Date issued: 11 October 2022

Subject: How GLAA operates – various questions

Question(s):

1)    Coronavirus Pandemic

a)    What actions did Gold Command put in place?

b)    What advice did the GLAA/Gold Command provide workers and how?

c)    Which stakeholders did the GLAA and Gold Command work with?

d)    The Care Quality Commission took action to stop the spread of COVID-19 by agency workers moving from care home to care home. What action did the GLAA/Gold Command take to prevent or stop agency workers being possibly moved from factory to factory e.g., agency workers moving from the textile industry into car manufacturing into the care sector into their Youth Hostel Accommodation into meat processing into food manufacturing into the food processing of ready meals etc?

e)    Why did the ALP not require a temporary license during the coronavirus pandemic?

2)    Why does the Low Pay Commission seem to not be involved in the GLAA?

3)    How does the GLAA balance the issue of local labour and gangmaster labour? 

4)    In the GLAAs opinion, is there any possibility the GLA and now GLAA has exasperated human trafficking in any way?

5)    The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 has evolved.  Its original intention was to protect exploited workers in the UK by licensing gangmasters. In the GLAAs opinion, does the GLAA carry out the GLA’s original legislative duty or something else?

6)    Does the GLAA agree that what has happened recently with PO Ferries is immoral and unacceptable behaviour?

7)    The GLA were informed in 2014 of volumes of British workers being replaced by EU workers in food manufacturing and food processing by licensed gangmasters. 

Could you advise me of what action, if any, were taken to stop those actions continuing and how such actions are monitored or managed now?

8)    Why was GLAA Brief 42 cancelled?

9)    I am unsure what a licensed gangmasters non-exploitative business model looks like, that is referred to in GLAA meetings and more recently in the GLAA 70^th meeting?

a)    Please describe the GLAA non-exploitative business model

b)    What does one look like?

c)    What does it do or enable?

Response:

This request is broad and in some instances you ask the GLAA for opinions. The FOIA enables the public to request recorded information held by public authorities. It is not a process through which to ask an organisation for policy and/or general opinions. Therefore, we have provided answers below to the questions where they relate to recorded information held by the GLAA:

1.

a)    In early 2020, the GLAA set up an internal group called the ‘Covid Gold Command’ in response to the emerging threat of the Covid-19 pandemic. This group coordinated the organisation’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and took action to ensure GLAA operations continued and that workers we engaged with, and our staff were safeguarded through the pandemic.

b)    The GLAA shared advice for workers and GLAA licence holders publicly on our social media and website. An example of this is GLAA Brief Issue 66 on Covid-19, worker self-isolation and seasonal agricultural workers. As this information is in the public domain and therefore is reasonably accessible by other means. This question is exempt under section 21 (1) of the FOIA.

c)    The GLAA and Covid Gold Command worked with various governmental organisations to develop an appropriate response to the covid-19 pandemic. This included taking advice from our Sponsorship department, the Home Office, Public Health England and working with a range of partners.  We also worked very closely with other labour market enforcement bodies and wider law enforcement to ensure that operational activity and advice being given was aligned.  

d)    The GLAA did not take action to prevent workers moving jobs during the pandemic. The GLAA has no legal authority to decide which workers work in which sector of the labour market. Outside of the GLAA regulated sector the GLAA do not regulate any other part of the UK labour market.

e)    The Association of Labour Providers (ALP) is a trade association, not a labour provider. Therefore, they do not supply workers into the GLAA regulated sector and do not require a GLAA licence at any time. To understand who requires a GLAA licence, you may wish to visit our ‘Do I need a GLAA licence?’ webpage.

2. This question is not asking for recorded information.

3. This question is not asking for recorded information.

4-6. These questions are seeking opinions and not asking for recorded information.

7. This question is not asking for recorded information.

8. Brief 42 was withdrawn following feedback on the content from a stakeholder.

9. We do not understand what recorded data is being requested here. We could not find reference to the phrase ‘licensed gangmasters non-exploitative business model’ in the 70^th Board meeting held on 2 September 2020. Therefore, we could not answer this question.

The FOI process is an important but time consuming process for us as a small organisation. We take our responsibility under the FOIA seriously. As a polite reminder, please can we ask that when submitting an FOI request you ensure that you ask clear questions in line with the FOIA i.e., you ask for recorded data you think the GLAA may hold. You may wish to refer to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website for further guidance on how to make a request: How to access information from a public body | ICO.