The business groups citing “real, practical and operational complexities” as a reason for the Government to proceed carefully in considering changes to regulations governing the transport of migrant workers have a point – but it is not a strong one (Business groups flag ‘complexities’ amid calls to ban lorries ferrying workers, Aug 2).

The issue of providing safe and decent transport for migrant workers has been raised regularly for at least the past 20 years – particularly after serious accidents – and there were always “practical” objections to reform.

Regulatory changes led to a raising of standards, but the fact remains that the lorries used by many companies to transport migrant workers were not designed for carrying human beings...

The non-governmental organisations that called for a timeline for banning the use of lorries for transporting workers recognised that it was not without problems, but no doubt believe that without such a goal being set, little will change.

This is not something that should be left to companies that employ migrant workers to decide; that’s like asking the tobacco industry to determine how to combat smoking...