Care Workers: Foreign Worker Visas

Lord Kamall Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Perhaps I could assist by clarifying that the spending review, which allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for social care, is by 2028-29; it is not a matter of waiting for that long. That is in comparison with 2025-26. I hope I was helpful to your Lordships’ House in identifying a number of actions we have already taken to professionalise, upskill and allow people to build careers in the social care workforce. That is absolutely crucial. That, aligned with stopping international recruitment in this area—with a period of time for transition of some years—will shift to improve and increase the adult social care workforce in this country.

[Lord Kamall (Con)]

My Lords, while there are legitimate concerns over the levels of immigration, it is important to recognise the contribution that immigrants have made to our great country, not least to recall that after the war, our public services were saved by immigrants, especially from Commonwealth countries. We should not forget that.

My question is about the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme, which was set up during the pandemic and extended to adult social care in 2023. Unfortunately, the Government recently closed the volunteering service without an obvious alternative. While I recognise that volunteering will not make up for workforce shortages, what action are the Government taking to ensure that those who wish to volunteer in the social care sector can make a worthwhile contribution?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

While I absolutely agree about the value of volunteering, as we have discussed before, I should make clear that volunteering is not a substitute for employment on the right pay, the right terms and conditions and with the right status. I also absolutely agree with the noble Lord about the contribution that has been made by those from overseas to supporting our care services, and indeed by all care workers.

As we have discussed in this Chamber, the scheme was not simply closed. It was something that was appropriate for when we were in a pandemic but not for now. In fact, we have introduced a whole range of measures which I will be very pleased to remind the noble Lord of, to ensure that we can have more volunteers who are better used and more highly regarded. They are a complement to our workforce, and very valuable they are too.