Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will undertake a review of the treatment by agencies of staff recruited from overseas to work in the adult social care sector through the Health and Care Worker Visa scheme in respect of (a) working arrangements, (b) living conditions and (c) modern slavery practices.

The Home Office keeps all its policies under review, including the Health and Care visa. We will work across government to carefully consider policies relating to the treatment of internationally recruited care workers.

The Government will ensure that those who commit significant offences under UK employment law are not able to sponsor overseas workers to come to the UK. Workplace exploitation which allows migration to undercut British workers will end.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a code of practice for recruiters in the health and social care sector, as well as detailed guidance for overseas candidates on their rights in the UK and how to avoid being exploited by employers and third-party agencies.

• Code of practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-for-health-and-social-care-jobs-in-the-uk-from-abroad.
• Guidance for candidates: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-for-health-and-social-care-jobs-in-the-uk-from-abroad.