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Proceeding contribution from Charles Clarke (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 7 March 2006. It occurred during Urgent question on Immigration (Work Permits).


Immigration (Work Permits)

I can certainly give that assurance. As I said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz), we will indeed keep the matter under close review. As I have said, however, what we want in all our productive industry—including the service industry, which involves catering—are high skills, high wages and high productivity. That is what we should seek to achieve, in those sectors as well as others. Individual businesses and shops that keep going on a basis of low skills, low productivity and low pay do not represent the future of this country in the most effective way. That is why I have returned consistently to a central theme of the points-based system, namely, the skills basis for assessment of skills shortages. That said, I accept my hon. Friend’s point completely. We certainly do not want to cause serious damage to a very important sector of the country’s economy and society. That is why we will keep the matter under close review.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
443 c732 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Immigration controls Skilled workers Immigration Work permits Overseas workers
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk