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Sadiq Khan must take the lead after ‘failure’ by migration committee

Tuesday 18 September 2018

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Mayor of London to devise proposals for a new immigration system for the capital. 

LCCI was responding to the long-awaited ‘EEA migration in the UK’ final report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published today.

Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce, Colin Stanbridge said:

“There has been a failure by the MAC to recognise the full value and benefit of migration to London.

LCCI commissioned research by leading economists that found London:

  • is three times more reliant on foreign workers (25%) than the rest of the UK (7%)
  • has a £26bn contribution to its GVA by EU Nationals

We, along with others, advocated that, due to its unique migration footprint, a new UK immigration system should have a degree of regionalisation, however the MAC report has advised against that. 

This report is to provide an evidence base for a new UK migration system – yet the MAC admit they faced ‘serious constraints’ to their work relating to access to data.

Furthermore, the MAC do not undertake a full review of the existing Tier 2, and their assessment of the Shortage Occupation List will not report until next spring.

London employees and employers need certainty. Mayor Khan previously said that if satisfactory migration proposals for London were not put forward, he would look at alternative options.

Today LCCI repeats our call for our Mayor to bring London’s civic and business leaders together to design practical proposals for future migration.

These London proposals can be used to influence and shape the forthcoming Immigration Bill that Ministers will lay before Parliament”.     


ENDS

Media contact
Sean McKee                                                                    
T: +44 (0)207 203 1882                         
M: +44 (0)750 001 3166 
E: smckee@londonchamber.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITOR:

  1. London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is the capital’s most representative business organisation with members ranging in size from multi-national companies to SMEs and sole traders.
  2. LCCI Spokespersons are available for further comment and interview.