The government has rejected calls to extend the Gangmasters Licensing Authority’s licensing standards to construction.
It said that responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of construction workers is already clearly stated as part of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and other health and safety legislation.
It added: “It would therefore appear that, from a narrow health and safety perspective, robust protections are in place.”
A bill had been brought before Parliament by Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Jim Sheridan. Construction union UCATT had supported the proposals.
But the government said that extending the gangmasters regime to construction “could involve licensing in excess of 200,000 construction businesses”.
Currently just 1200 licenses are issued in all gangmaster-related industries.
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