Question
I look forward to chewing through the details of what the Home Secretary has published today, but it is good to hear her talk about the role of societal contribution as a route to residency and about the allowances for care workers. Some 4.2 million economic migrants came to this country under the previous Government, while we have hundreds of thousands of British young people not in education, employment or training. What conversations is she having across Government so that our immigration intake marries up to what we need in our labour market and economy?
Answer
It is absolutely right that while we should be able to bring in workers from abroad when we need to in order to fill market gaps in this country, of course we have to ensure that we are always providing opportunities for domestic workers, not least the 1 million young people who are not in education, employment or training. We have an obligation to them too and it is important that we strike the right balance. I believe the earned settlement reforms strike the right balance for migrant workers and British taxpayers. I assure my hon. Friend that I am talking to colleagues across Government. Immigration is not the only part of the answer—skills and training here at home are also necessary.17% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (38/100)
The reply touches on the question about how the Home Secretary is engaging with colleagues across Government, stating that she is talking to them. However, it gives no detail on which departments are involved, what forums are used, or what specific alignment work is taking place, so the answer stays general throughout. Other parts of the reply cover labour-market balance and domestic skills as policy positions rather than the engagement itself. A member of the public would likely need to ask again for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Home Secretary's engagement across Government on aligning immigration intake with the needs of the labour market and economy? | Addressed | Hedged | Statement 5 directly describes the nature of the Home Secretary's engagement, saying she is talking to colleagues across Government, which is what the item asks. It gives no detail on which departments, in what forums, or on what specific alignment work, so it is covered but thinly. The other statements address labour-market balance and domestic skills as policy positions rather than engagement across Government. |