Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Philippa Whitford Excerpts
Monday 29th October 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Victoria Atkins Portrait Victoria Atkins
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The hon. Lady will know that we are committed to the introduction of independent child trafficking advocates, and I am delighted that next year a third of local authorities will have ICTAs to look after the most vulnerable victims of trafficking. However, we have noted that the crime type is evolving. We are piloting schemes for UK-trafficked as opposed to internationally trafficked children, because we appreciate that the needs of those two different sets of children must be encompassed.

Philippa Whitford Portrait Dr Philippa Whitford (Central Ayrshire) (SNP)
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4. What assessment he has made of the effect on Scotland of ending free movement of people with the EU.

Marion Fellows Portrait Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
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7. What assessment he has made of the effect on Scotland of ending free movement of people with the EU.

Caroline Nokes Portrait The Minister for Immigration (Caroline Nokes)
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After the UK leaves the EU, free movement will end. In a recent report, the Independent Migration Advisory Committee concluded that the economic impacts of EU migration had been “relatively small”, with “limited regional variation”. As we leave the EU, we will create a single global immigration system that works in the interests of the whole United Kingdom.

Philippa Whitford Portrait Dr Whitford
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Ending freedom of movement will have a major impact on the health and social care sector, which employs high numbers of EU nationals, and the tier 2 visa threshold of £30,000 is far more than any social care worker earns. Do the Secretary of State and Minister not recognise that wealth is not the same as worth?

Caroline Nokes Portrait Caroline Nokes
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We have been very clear that employers should take all possible steps to reduce their reliance on low-skilled migrant labour. The MAC does have serious concerns, however, about the social care sector and is clear that this sector needs a policy wider than just migration policy to fix its many problems. The MAC report has given us some sound advice, but the Home Office continues to discuss with all sectors, with business leaders and indeed with the devolved Governments so that we can come forward with an immigration policy that works for the whole country.