Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Net Migration

Monday 3 July 2023 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Home Secretary stated that net migration is too high and the Government is determined to bring it down.
  • The Secretary of State criticized the Welsh Labour Government for the collapse of their super-sponsor scheme, calling it a failure with no viable plan.
  • The Home Secretary affirmed that the salary threshold for the skilled worker visa scheme is under review but emphasized the need to reduce overall migration numbers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 James Daly
Immigration
Context

The question addresses the high levels of net migration and its impact on UK society.

Question

What steps she is taking to reduce net migration. I am concerned about the current levels of net migration and their impact on housing, public services, and community relations in the UK.

Answer from Suella Braverman

Net migration is too high, and this Government are determined to bring it down. Indeed, that was one of the reasons why I voted and campaigned to leave the European Union in 2016. Last month, I announced measures to reduce the number of student dependants coming to the UK, which has soared by 35%, and to stop people transferring from student visas to work visas.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps or timelines for reducing overall net migration beyond general statements about reviewing policies.

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Q2 Sarah Atherton
Immigration Scotland Local Government
Context

The Labour-Plaid coalition in Cardiff declared Wales a sanctuary for all, but their Ukrainian sponsorship programme failed due to inadequate accommodation and planning.

Question

What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Welsh Labour Government about the collapse of their super-sponsor scheme? Does she know how many families are still inappropriately placed. The world is welcome in Wales, yet the super-sponsor scheme fell apart due to a lack of accommodation and planning.

Answer from Suella Braverman

My hon. Friend raises a very important point. She speaks frankly to Labour's abject failure to offer any viable plan for support. Labour is naive about the problem, and it is unrealistic about the solution. Labour has no idea and no plan, and it is letting Wales down.

Not addressed: Did not provide information on discussions or number of families affected; instead criticized Labour's handling of the issue.

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Q3 James Daly
Immigration Employment
Context

The current minimum salary requirement is under scrutiny due to its impact on net migration.

Question

Do the Government have any plans to amend the minimum salary requirement for the skilled worker visa scheme. I am asking about specific plans to adjust the salary threshold, which may be a factor in reducing overall migration numbers.

Answer from Suella Braverman

We always keep the salary threshold under review but, as I said, net migration is too high and we need to get overall numbers down. How do we do that? Well, employers need to recruit more people who are already here, rather than advertising abroad so much.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific plans on amending the salary requirement but discussed general approaches to reduce net migration.

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Q4 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
Immigration Business & Trade
Context

There is a need for youth mobility visas to address workforce shortages in areas like hospitality and tourism.

Question

Will the Home Secretary pay attention to the plight of our economy in the lakes and dales, where almost two thirds of businesses are failing to meet demand because of a lack of workforce? I have been speaking to the Minister for Immigration about a youth mobility visa scheme. How is she getting on with those discussions.

Answer from Suella Braverman

Migration is a very complex issue, and of course we have to balance the needs of the labour market. That is why we are very pleased to support well-crafted youth mobility schemes. There is one with India, and I have just come back from New Zealand, where we have expanded our youth mobility scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific updates on discussions but highlighted existing youth mobility schemes.

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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Immigration Northern Ireland
Context

There is a need to discuss and ensure the availability of workers in the Strangford constituency.

Question

It is very clear that the issue of migration must be settled and sorted out. At the same time, it is important to note that those who have come from eastern Europe, the middle east and Africa are contributing to the economy of my Strangford constituency. I think the Secretary of State is committed to ensuring that continues, but what discussions has she had with the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that we continue to have the workers we need.

Answer from Suella Braverman

No single measure can control net migration, but as the Prime Minister has been clear, net migration is too high. That is why I recently announced a series of measures aimed at reducing the number of student dependants, which has risen exponentially over the past few years, and ensuring that students come here in a more proportionate and balanced way.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide details on discussions with the Northern Ireland Assembly but discussed general migration measures.

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Q6 Yvette Cooper Lab Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Immigration Women & Equalities
Context

There is uncertainty around the support of social care visas within the Conservative party.

Question

Will the Home Secretary wish the deputy chairman of the Conservative party, the hon. Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson), a speedy recovery from the terrible bug that I understand has, this morning, prevented him from launching an entirely different Conservative immigration policy from the policy of the Conservative Home Secretary? Does she agree with him that social care visas should be cancelled—yes or no.

Answer from Suella Braverman

The sorry fact of the matter is that Labour wants open borders and unlimited migration. There is a malaise descending upon the Labour party, and it does not even know what it thinks. Labour's Sadiq Khan has said that he wants more migration.

Not addressed: Did not answer the question on support for social care visas but attacked Labour's immigration stance.

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Q7 Yvette Cooper Lab Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Immigration Migrants & Borders
Context

There is criticism of the current immigration policies and their impact.

Question

The Home Secretary could not answer the question: does she support her own social care visas or not? She spent all weekend briefing that she agrees with her Back Benchers, but today she cannot even answer the basic question. Making up stuff about the Labour party will not help her when her party has been in power for 13 years and when work visas have doubled, exactly because the Government have failed to tackle skills shortages or issues in the labour market.

Answer from Suella Braverman

Thank you, Mr Speaker. We all know that only the Conservative party and this Prime Minister have a serious plan to stop the boats and stop illegal migration, and that Labour stands for only one thing: open borders and unlimited migration.

Not addressed: Did not answer questions about social care visas or address failures but attacked Labour's immigration stance.

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