Labour and Skills Shortages: Temporary Recovery Visa — [Judith Cummins in the Chair]

The UK's departure from the EU has led to significant labour shortages across various sectors, including hospitality and agriculture. The SNP supports visa schemes like a temporary recovery visa as a solution. Anne McLaughlin criticized the Home Secretary for using inflammatory language regarding immigration and highlighted that Scotland faces unique challenges due to rurality and population decline. She also pointed out that three-quarters of UK businesses are experiencing difficulties filling vacancies, stressing the need for certainty in policy. Questions the Labour party's stance on migrant workers in the NHS, expressing concern over perceived inconsistency and potential discrimination. Highlights an issue with food delivery services where accounts are rented out to individuals who may not have passed necessary health and safety checks. Could the failure to recruit enough HGV drivers from overseas be related to the restriction of a 12-week stay in the UK?

Discussed the challenges faced by the fishing industry in his constituency, highlighting issues with crew shortages and visa restrictions. He mentioned that overseas crews have been crucial to maintaining operations but expressed concern over the Home Office's stance on transit visas and sponsorship routes. Emphasised the need for a bespoke solution and requested a meeting with the Minister. Requests for a meeting with the Minister to discuss fishing and skills issues constructively, seeking an assurance that such a meeting will be held.

Liz Saville-Roberts suggested a dangerous and inhumane fishing practice for foreign-originating crew, indicating concerns about maritime labour issues. The fishing industry is facing labour shortages due to a combination of an ageing workforce and high costs, exacerbated by Brexit's impact on migration. The current visa system poses significant barriers for recruiting skilled workers from abroad, particularly with the strict English language requirements. Liz Saville-Roberts highlighted the case of her constituent Mark Roberts who faces difficulties in employing foreign crew members despite their proficiency in practical skills. She called for a review of these rules to align them better with vocational needs.

Priti Patel highlighted the need for a comprehensive labour market strategy and praised the Minister's efforts. She advocated for investment in training, career progression, and youth mobility schemes to address skills shortages. She also mentioned the expansion of seasonal agricultural workers' list last year to include haulage drivers due to sector pressures.

She highlighted the hospitality sector's growth in York, with 20,000 employees and a 7.8% increase between 2017 and 2020. However, businesses are struggling due to skills shortages, cost of living crisis, and planning challenges. Maskell called for resilience-building measures and noted the need for more labour supply through innovation and youth mobility schemes. She also addressed housing needs for new arrivals and advocated for asylum seekers' employment opportunities. Rachael Maskell emphasized the value of international healthcare workers in the NHS, noting their skills and contributions enrich patient care. She suggested that recognising these skills could provide similar benefits for other industries facing labour shortages.

Supported the principle of a points-based system for migrant workers but called for improvements to balance recruitment from abroad with training home-grown talent. Cited issues in healthcare, agriculture and hospitality sectors due to labour shortages. Called for integration between the Migration Advisory Committee and Skills and Productivity Board to better address short-term labour needs. Raised concerns about exploitation of migrant workers and suggested a three-way dialogue involving employers, trade unions and Government Departments to set conditions on worker rights.