Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Legal Migration Rules

Monday 15 January 2024 · 4 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 Office engages with the devolved nations through the inter-ministerial group to discuss immigration needs.
  • Figures show that changes to the minimum income threshold for family and skilled workers disproportionately affect Scotland.
  • The Home Secretary committed to laying information on projected volumes in the House Library and stated that changes will not be applied retrospectively.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Steven Bonnar
Immigration Scotland
Context

The question arises due to recent modifications in legal migration rules affecting Scotland. The Scottish Government has concerns over the impact of these changes.

Question

What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on recent changes to legal migration rules?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

The Home Office engages with the devolved nations through the inter-ministerial group and recognises that each of the nations of the UK has varying immigration needs, reflected in the varied shortage occupation lists for each nation. Immigration will, however, remain reserved.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific discussions with Scottish Government on recent changes to legal migration rules

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Q2 Steven Bonnar
Immigration Scotland
Context

Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that changes to the minimum income threshold for family and skilled workers disproportionately impact Scotland, with median earnings on the west coast being £24,700 per year, which is lower than the new threshold.

Question

Figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that the changes to the minimum income threshold for family and skilled workers disproportionately impact Scotland. Median earnings on the west coast of Scotland are £24,700 a year, which is far short even of the climbdown figure of £29,000. Did the Home Secretary even consider that this policy would effectively cut off migration to parts of Scotland that need and would benefit from inward migration?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

The Government's position is clear: the changes that we are introducing are the right thing. The numbers of dependents we are seeing coming is disproportionate. There will be an opportunity, through the review of the composition of the immigration salary list in the second phase, and through the call for evidence, for exactly those debates to be had and for those views to be made known.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific consideration given to impact on migration to parts of Scotland needing it

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Q3 Alison Thewliss SNP
Immigration Women & Equalities
Context

The Home Office's abrupt policy changes on the minimum income threshold have caused significant uncertainty and distress among individuals up and down the UK, particularly affecting Scotland. Concerns are raised about disproportionate impacts on women.

Question

The Home Office's knee-jerk policy to raise the threshold and its sudden partial reverse ferret to bring it slightly back down again caused a huge amount of distress to people up and down these islands who now do not know what the future holds for them and their families. What equality impact assessment has been carried out on the policy which, as well as affecting Scotland, will disproportionately affect women?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

When he announced the changes, the Home Secretary made a commitment to lay the information on the projected volumes in the House Library. It seems that the hon. Lady is criticising the Government for not taking the steps that we have taken to say clearly that the changes will not be applied retrospectively.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific equality impact assessment conducted on policy

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Q4 Alison Thewliss SNP
Immigration Scotland Women & Equalities
Context

A constituent's spouse working as a legal administrator from Australia and another individual with a family member in Canada are worried about the impact of new immigration policies, which will disproportionately affect women.

Question

That does not answer the question that I put to the Minister at all. What equality impact assessment has been carried out on this policy? What recognition of wage levels in Scotland has there been in relation to the policy? He cannot tell me. One of my constituents tells me that they are worried about their spouse, who works as a legal administrator, coming over from Australia. Also, a man is worried about his nephew and partner who will never be able to return from Canada if they want to come back to live in Scotland, and there are many more who are guilty only of falling in love with somebody of what the Government consider to be the wrong nationality.

Answer from Tom Pursglove

The position is as I have set out. We think the number of people coming to the country in this way is not sustainable and that we are taking forward a pragmatic, balanced package. As I have said, the measures will not be applied retrospectively, so they will not affect existing applications that have been lodged.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Recognition of wage levels in Scotland for immigration policy and an apology for chaos caused by new policies

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