Oral Answers to Questions

Sam Tarry Excerpts

Monday 13th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)]

What progress she has made on implementing the immigration health surcharge exemption for NHS and social care workers.

[Sam Tarry (Ilford South) (Lab)]

What progress she has made on implementing the immigration health surcharge exemption for NHS and social care workers.

[Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) (Lab)]

What progress she has made on implementing the immigration health surcharge exemption for NHS and social care workers.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kevin Foster]

The hon. Member asks how long, but I said in my answer that refund payments had already started, and we will imminently implement the new health and care visa, which will see those on it exempt. So work is continuing, and to be clear, the health surcharge is about creating resources for the NHS and has supported the NHS. We have announced this policy, and we are driving it forward.

[Sam Tarry [V]]

Ilford South is a diverse constituency, with 60% of my local population coming from either heritage communities or directly from immigrant communities. An Oxford University study last year found that the net fiscal giving from immigration to our country’s economy between 2001 and 2011 was £25 billion. People in Ilford South are wondering whether the Minister agrees that it was wrong for the Government to act so slowly to move this policy forward and whether they should offer an apology to the people in Ilford South working in our NHS, who are fearful and risking their lives, and not getting the support they deserve from the Government?

[Kevin Foster]

I think the people of Ilford South working in the NHS will have been pleased to see the measures that we have taken, not least the fact that we will look to prioritise those coming to work for the NHS under our new visa system.