Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to consult with local authorities on the potential effect of the proposed new points-based immigration system on the social care sector.

The social care sector is invaluable to our country. Social care workers have shown incredible dedication during this extraordinary time.

The Government is working with the sector in a number of ways to help support it during this difficult time and going forward, including extra funding and a national recruitment campaign.

However, the independent Migration Advisory Committee has been very clear that immigration is not the answer to the challenges in this sector. As we implement the new immigration system, we want employers to focus on investing in our domestic work force.

A?programme of engagement?is underway?to raise awareness of the new points-based system, ensuring those affected by the changes are fully aware of what it means for them and understand how the system will operate.