The government has accepted the principles of Jim Sheridan MP's private members bill to introduce a licensing system for labour providers and the bill will receive a second reading.

The exact details concerning the issuing of licences and enforcement of the law on taxation, health and safety, and employment laws by government can now therefore be thrashed out.

The private members bill received its first reading on February 27, the day after a press conference by advocates of the bill exposed more abuses in the employment of migrants in the UK countryside.