Discussions with the UK Government

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his Brexit Minister responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:58 pm on 26 February 2020.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:58, 26 February 2020

Well, I think that the potential impact is very significant. I think nurses in care settings—I think around 17 per cent are EU citizens working and living in Wales. And care providers more generally—I think the percentage figures are around 6 or 7 per cent, which is a high figure. The reasons she outlines in her question for her concern are exactly the same reasons that lay behind my concern, and which is why I and others in the Government have made these representations directly to the Migration Advisory Committee.

What we had hoped was that the version of the immigration policy that the UK Government brought forward would take into fuller regard the impact on our public services, both in Wales and across the UK incidentally. This isn't an issue that is unique to Wales—it's felt across the UK. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. We have said that, in the absence of having a UK-wide system that reflects the needs of our public services and our economy in Wales, we will wish to look at the case for a spatial differentiation—for example, in relation to additional points for people who wish to work outside London and the south-east or wish to work in specific parts of the UK or, alternatively, a version of the shortage occupation list. She will know that the Migration Advisory Committee has already advocated that in principle for Wales, and so I think there's a case for exploring that.