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Immigration (Work Permits)

I, too, on behalf of Liberal Democrat colleagues give a cautious welcome to the announcement. Anything that takes the politics out of the immigration system and introduces a degree of objectivity to a system that has too long been plagued by subjectivity and arbitrary criteria is welcome. However, I have questions about two aspects. If I had been longer in my present position, I would probably have a longer list of question, but as I have not been, my questions are blissfully short. [hon. members: ““Oh.””] I thought that might elicit a positive response in all parts of the House. First, the credibility of the system will necessarily hinge on the operation of the skills advisory board. Could the Home Secretary provide more detail on the composition of the board? An assumption has been made in the past that employers’ organisations, trade unions, the public sector and the private sector would all be represented. The composition of the board is essential to ensure the right balance in an assessment of skills. Is it the right hon. Gentleman’s expectation that the skills advisory board would try to pin down quotas—a specific quantification—for the skills in each sector? If so, that would have a great effect on the operation of the new system. The second aspect on which I seek clarification is the effect that the system will have on the immigration of unskilled labour. If the purpose is to make the immigration of skilled labour more organised, we hope that that will not have an unduly restrictive and punitive effect on sectors that still need unskilled labour. In certain parts of the country fruit pickers are short of unskilled labour, and as we saw in Morecambe Bay last year, excessive amounts of unskilled labour going under the radar screen would lead to exploitative behaviour by employers.