Liz Truss defends her tax cut plans
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The Prime Minister is set to defy some of her Brexiteer Cabinet colleagues by making changes to the "shortage occupation list", allowing certain industries to bring in more staff, such as broadband engineers, from overseas. The review could also endorse a loosening of the requirement to speak English in some sectors to enable more foreign workers into the country, according to an article citing a Downing Street official.
Ms Truss, who took office earlier this month but following the death of Queen Elizabeth has had little opportunity to flesh out her vision for the country, said during a trip to New York last week she was prepared to be take unpopular decisions as the government seeks to stimulate economic growth.
The Sunday Times in its report also said the UK government was set to lift the cap on seasonal workers from abroad working in agriculture.
The move is expected to anger some Brexiteers in the Cabinet, with Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg already telling colleagues he would only support the new immigration plans if they were proven to increase GDP per capita.
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A senior government source told The Sunday Times: “There is a view within the Treasury that migration is good for growth. That is a view that appears to be shared by the PM and the chancellor.
"We cannot tear up our immigration rules. People who voted for Brexit want to see controlled migration.”
Asked about the idea that immigration rules might be relaxed, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng told the BBC on Sunday: "It's not about relaxing rules.
"The whole point about the Brexit debate if we want to go down there was we need to control immigration in a way that works for the UK."
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Asked if more occupations would be added to the list of people who could come in, Mr Kwarteng said that the interior minister would give an update in the coming weeks, as he had flagged on Friday.
"The Home Secretary will make a statement in the next few weeks. But we have to grow this economy," he said.
Backing Ms Truss' immigration proposals, a senior Whitehall source told the Times: “Businesses have been frustrated that the visa system, notably skilled work, has not been sufficiently responsive to specific shortages they have been facing. For example, the shortage occupation list that is part of the skilled worker visa has not been updated.”
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Another Government source added: “We need to put measures in place so that we have the right skills that the economy, including the rural economy, needs to stimulate growth. This will involve increasing numbers in some areas and decreasing in others.”
Welcoming the Prime Minister's move, economist and Brexiteer Julian Jessop said: "Another important shift towards 'free market' economics.
"A more flexible migration policy is also good for productivity and hence per capita GDP, as well as the total.
"The usual suspects will cry 'what about Brexit'?
"Short answer: the UK can have a flexible policy on migrants coming here (even 'free movement', if you want it) without being a member of the EU."
