Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority inspection
Summary
This inspection looks into the use of investigative powers by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
Established in 2005 as the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, its role was to operate a statutory licensing scheme, regulating businesses that supply workers to the agriculture, horticulture, shellfish-gathering, and associated processing and packaging industries.
Over the period of 2016 to 2017, it was renamed and received additional statutory powers and increased resources. New legislation also came into force, enabling it to investigate labour market offences and some specially trained GLAA officers now have powers like (but not the same as) those held by the police. For example, these officers can make arrests, obtain search warrants, enter private property, search people and premises, or seize items of evidential value.
Because officers’ powers are similar to police powers, the authorisation was conditional on the GLAA’s agreement to voluntary inspections by HMICFRS.
This inspection took place between June and October 2018.