GLA trials lighter touch in the forestry industry

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has today launched its Pilot on the Forestry industry.

The Pilot will run for 12 months and will:

• test whether a lighter regulatory approach can be applied while still safeguarding vulnerable workers rights , and

• explore if companies that require a licence are more or less likely to comply with the GLA’s licensing standards.

At the conclusion of the Pilot the GLA will decide whether the approaches tested should continue, be rolled out to other licensable groups, or cease.

Margaret McKinlay, GLA Chair, said:

“The Forestry Pilot is evidence of the GLA’s commitment to the delivery of a proportionate and balanced regulatory approach. Having recently been appointed GLA Chair I welcome this Pilot. It demonstrates that the GLA continues to look for ways to maximise our impact by directing resources to areas of greater risk of exploitation for workers. “

Notes to editors

1. GLA Brief 14 announced the Forestry Pilot to GLA licence holders. The pilot is designed to test out a “lighter touch” regulatory approach focusing on reducing the burdens of inspection, (insert link)

2. GLA Brief 15 clarifies the circumstances in which a licence is required in forestry and associated activities such as fencing, and refers to circumstances where exclusions apply also, and will be issued shortly.

3. Details of the GLA licensing standards can be found here

4. Where clarification provided in GLA Brief 15, demonstrates that an existing labour provider may have been trading unlawfully without a licence the GLA will take a proportionate approach when that labour provider applies for a licence.

5. The GLA reserves the right to prosecute for any period of unlicensed trading, particularly where the forestry labour provider has exploited workers, or is significantly non-compliant with the GLA licensing standards, or where the labour provider has been undertaking activities that clearly require a licence, and were not activities that were clarified in GLA Brief 15

6. The GLA is committed to preventing exploitation of workers and forced labour. GLA guidance on its approach, and the new forced labour offence can be found in GLA Brief 9

7. Margaret McKinlay was appointed as Chair of the Gangmaster Licensing Authority on 11 July.

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