New fears announced over migrant workers

There are new fears in relation to the return of migrant employees.

Britain's food producers may face a shortage of workers, as migrant employees are starting to leave the UK in favour of returning home, reports the Financial Times.

"Large numbers of migrant workers from the enlarged EU have been keeping the food industry ticking over for several years, because they have been prepared to work for the exceptionally low wages paid by the industry," said Chris Kaufman, a representative from trade union Unite.

Mr Kaufman noted that non-migrant employees are not electing to take the place of foreign workers because of the low wages offered for roles available in locations such as farms and food factories.

For the first time since 2004, the number of workers registering from central and eastern Europe started to fall for the first time in 2007, according to data published by the Home Office.

In 2004, a number of central European countries joined the European Union, including the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.