My
thanks to the constituents who have written to me concerning the future visa
status of NHS and care workers from abroad, whom like their UK counterparts
continues to play a key role in helping our health and social care systems
combat the spread of Covid-19.
They
have been making incredible sacrifices in the course of our response to this
deadly virus and their valiant efforts to save lives and care for the sick have
not gone unnoticed. As Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Health
Secretary I have been supporting ministers in their efforts to recognise and
reward these frontline workers.
The
Prime Minister, who contracted Covid-19, has himself thanked the two nurses
from Portugal and New Zealand, for their care of him while he was hospitalised.
This
was followed by his much welcomed announcement at the Despatch Box that all
health and social care workers are to be exempted from the Immigration Health
Surcharge (HIS) as soon as possible – something that I have long been
supportive of and have asked ministers to consider.
Constituents
asked if I would support Yvette Cooper NC17 amendment to the Immigration and
Social Security Bill.
This
amendment is unfortunately not in the scope of the
bill and is therefore highly unlikely to be considered by MPs in the
next stage of the bill’s progress through the Commons.
This is because the bill primarily relates to our leaving of the
EU and the ending of the EU doctrine of free movement, as opposed to
setting the rules for our future immigration system.
However the substance of Yvette Cooper’s amendment is one has
received much cross-party support and as PPS I will be sure to feed back to the
Department of Health and Social Care the points that constituents have made on
the importance of ensuring that our NHS and social care workers from abroad can
continue to stay in the UK and contribute.
