Doha: The head of a British parliamentary delegation on a fact-finding visit to Qatar said yesterday the World Cup 2022 hosts had made progress on the issue of workers’ welfare. Conservative Phillip Lee, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Qatar, said Doha has listened to its critics over migrant workers.
“From what I have seen, there has been progress in workers’ welfare on the construction sites,” he said.
Lee was a member of a cross-party group which met government ministers, World Cup officials and made site visits to workers’ accommodation and one of the tournament’s prospective venues. He said the British parliamentarians had been granted “freedom of access” to talk to whoever they wished. Lee said there had been particular improvement over the awarding of contracts and urged Qatar to emphasise the “human” difference it is making to its vast army of foreign workers. “People working here for two years can make a significant difference to their lives,” he said. AFP
