Question
I thank the Home Secretary for her statement. As she knows, I have written to her about this matter, and I have met migrant workers in my constituency. She has mentioned that the Health Secretary will be carrying out a review looking particularly at fraudulent and exploitative companies, and I urge the Home Secretary to ensure that strong, robust action is taken against these companies to deter their behaviour. I would also like reassurance that the Home Secretary will meet migrant workers as part of this consultation and this review to ensure that their concerns are addressed.
Answer
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. I think I have covered the immigration aspects in today’s statement, but it is the case that exploitative and rogue employers have had their licences revoked. My colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade have agreed that the Fair Work Agency will look specifically at the care sector and the behaviour of employers within it. My colleagues in the Health Department are looking at the wider reforms that are needed for the care sector, and the Minister for Social Care and Mental Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Alison McGovern), has kindly agreed to meet my hon. Friend on that.
Verdict: AMBER (42/100)
The first part of the question, about strong action against exploitative care employers, is answered clearly: the reply describes licence revocation for exploitative and rogue employers and a Fair Work Agency review of employer conduct in the sector. The second part, whether the Home Secretary will meet migrant workers, is not answered. The reply instead offers a meeting with a different minister, so the questioner would likely need to ask again for the meeting they requested.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government ensure strong, robust action is taken against fraudulent and exploitative companies to deter their behaviour? | Addressed | Direct | The reply points to concrete enforcement (exploitative and rogue employers having licences revoked) and commits to a specific measure, with the Fair Work Agency examining employer behaviour in the care sector, which together answer whether strong action will be taken against exploitative companies. |
| Will the Home Secretary confirm that she will meet migrant workers as part of the consultation and the review? | Not Addressed | Generic MISREADS QUESTION | The reply never confirms that the Home Secretary will meet migrant workers; it only says immigration was covered in the statement and offers a meeting between a different minister (Social Care) and the questioner, which is a different meeting with a different person. |