Care Workers: Foreign Worker Visas

Lord Laming Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of London]

My Lords—

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Bishop next and then the Cross Benches.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

As noble Lords will be aware, the Employment Rights Bill establishes a framework for fair pay agreements. That will mean an agreement through which adult social care sector pay, as well as other terms and conditions, will be established through negotiating bodies. The negotiations will be reached by employers, workers’ representatives and others, in partnership. That will provide the opportunity to negotiate this in a responsible manner and help address the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector and support the delivery of high-quality care.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, I am sure the Minister will agree that we have an enormous challenge to overcome the belief that all you need to do this work is a kind heart. A kind heart is important, but there is a huge range of skills that are necessary over and above that. It is important therefore that we do all that we can to provide the opportunities to develop these skills and work incredibly hard to improve the status of these workers.