Immigration White Paper

Baroness Neville-Rolfe Excerpts

Monday 5th February 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Vere of Norbiton]

My Lords, we are well aware that there are shortages in certain areas and there may be overstaffing in other areas. As for what the Government are doing, they are listening. The most important thing that we can do at the moment is to listen to businesses, to universities and to our colleagues across the European Union. The Government have a number of user groups, which have been set up with representatives from all sorts of different organisations. The most important thing we can do is listen, and if we feel that there will be shortages in certain areas—whether regions or sectors—that is what our future immigration policy must address.

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen (Con)]

My Lords, order. This side.

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe]

I believe the Government have made a mistake in recent years in understating the scale of immigration and forecast immigration in their planning for health, housing, schools and infrastructure. What annual estimates of immigration are the Government making for the next three to five years—ranges if need be—beyond the implementation period, and how are they planning for the consequences for public services and infrastructure? Will this feature in the White Paper?