REC welcomes home office proposals for new migration advisory committee

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the representative body for the UK recruitment industry, has welcomed Home Office proposals for a new Migration Advisory Committee. There is a clear need for independent advice on skills shortages and the new Committee should ensure that the future needs of the UK labour market are reflected.

The REC was one of the organisations invited to attend this morningís official launch of the consultation by the Home Secretary John Reid and the Immigration Minister Liam Byrne . Commenting on the proposed new Migration Advisory Committee, Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the REC said:

ìRecruitment professionals are in the front line of the UK labour market and are uniquely placed to provide regular feedback on current shortages and on the effectiveness of current immigration policy. Monthly data shows that thousands of job vacancies are remain unfilled everyday, especially in areas such as construction, engineering, IT, HGV driving and social care. This is the reality of todayís labour market and we need an immigration system that supports our growing economy.î

The REC/KPMG monthly Report on Jobs shows that demand for workers has continued to increase over the last two years and that skills shortages remain a key concern for employers and recruiters in a number of sectors. In the long term some of these shortages can be resolved through better education and training of the UK workforce. However, in the short term migrant workers provide a crucial resource.

Hadley concludes:

ìBusiness organisations like the REC have been calling for a more rational debate on immigration issues for a number of years. Clearly, this will continue to be a highly emotive and political issue but it is time to accentuate the positives that migrant workers can bring. The development of the Migration Advisory Committee could provide a huge step in the right direction. The key is to ensure that it provides real value and bases its recommendations on reliable labour market researchî.