Member

I welcome the Government’s determination to support people back to work and to aim for an 80% employment rate. Together with their recent recognition that carers’ inability to work is costing the economy £37 billion a year, that makes a strong case for this amendment, but the case for the amendment has been transformed by yesterday’s White Paper on immigration, with its restriction on recruitment from overseas for those working in social care, particularly in care homes. We have already heard the concerns of those who run these homes that this key source of recruitment will be cut off. There is no sign that social service departments will be able to afford the higher costs of care if we are to recruit and train enough people locally.