There is a possibility that prisoners in the UK could be employed on fruit farms to help address labour shortages during the harvesting season.

The UK’s Minister for Justice David Gauke is planning to ease rules in UK prisons that would see low-risk prisoners allowed work as part of a day release until their sentence is completed.

Minister Gauke wants to boost the job prospects of those in open prisons. Currently, they must wait a year before being allowed work in the community and agriculture is one area of the economy that may provide employment.

Workforce

The plans have been in offing for over a year now as labour shortages continue to worsen on British fruit farms. There are an estimated 80,000 seasonal workers, of which just 1% are British.

The vast majority are Bulgarian and Romanian and less migrant workers are expected travel to the UK as their access looks set to be more restricted after Brexit.

In a speech delivered last year, Minister Gauke said: “Leaving the EU is likely to have an impact on the workforce in sectors such as catering, construction and agriculture. I see an opportunity here for both prisoners and employers, particularly those operating in these sectors.”

Chances

One grower, Suzannah Starkey told the Sunday Telegraph that she would be happy to hire prisoners to help on her farm in Northamptonshire.

She said: "I think we should be as a society giving chances to these people. The prisons are full of people who really ought not to be there and it is up to society who has chosen to lock people away to give them a place in society."

As far back as 2012, the National Farmers Union had identified prisoners as a potential group that could be employed as seasonal workers on farms. However, with the labour shortfall estimated to be approaching 10,000 workers, it has called for a solution that ensures farmers have access to a competent and reliable workforce.