SNP urges Sarwar to back call for Scottish visa – Daily Business

The SNP has appealed to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to support its call for a visa scheme to help address skills shortages.

A second reading has been secured for SNP MP Stephen Gethins’ Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill for 25 April and he is urging Scottish Labour to confirm previous commitments to the scheme.

The Labour Party had previously declared its backing to further immigration powers with both Mr Sarwar and his deputy Jackie Baillie signalling that a UK Labour Government would be open to talks on the visa.

Dame Jackie said discussions made “common sense” while Mr Sarwar claimed he had already held discussions with the Home Secretary.

Prior to the EU referendum, Michael Gove said Scotland could be given greater control over immigration if the UK voted to leave the bloc.

The SNP, with backing from a range of stakeholders, has long demanded a Scottish Visa to address labour shortages, particularly in the NHS, agriculture, hospitality, construction and higher education.

Deputy leader Kate Forbes has called for a rural visa to support these industries but also to tackle anticipated demand for skills in the renewables sector in the Highlands.

It has also been argued a Scottish Visa can help to address Scotland’s unique demographic challenges as the population of Scotland is projected to begin to fall with Scotland the only UK nation where the overall population and the working age population are projected to decline.

Last year hospitality and tourism chiefs lashed out after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appeared to reject the plan, with Leon Thompson, the executive director of UK Hospitality Scotland, commenting that the snub was “very, very disappointing”.

He added: “There needs to be some further conversations at how we have arrived at a situation where it is not being considered at all when it was part of the conversation before the election.

“Nobody expected anything like this to happen quickly but to see it taken off the table altogether will be a blow to the sector.”

Think tank, Reform Scotland, chaired by former Labour First Minister Lord McConnell, has also backed an independent Scottish visa scheme writing before the election that there is a “danger Scotland’s needs will be overlooked.” 

With the SNP’s Bill progressing to a second reading, Mr Gethins has challenged Scottish Labour MPs to “rise above party politics and back our Bill in the interests of Scotland’s economy.”

He said: “We know just how important a unique Scottish Visa can be in addressing the devastating impact Brexit has had on the economy with the Treasury’s own analysis making that clear to us.

“By presenting this proposal, I am putting forward a suggestion that has also been made by other political parties, stakeholders and the leading think tank Reform Scotland and it is my hope that Scottish Labour MPs can rise above party politics and back our Bill in the interests of Scotland’s economy.

“A Scottish Visa presents a chance for both the Scottish and UK Government to come together to support our key industries in the face of a global economic storm and it’s clear there is consensus across both Scottish Labour and the SNP to make this happen. 

“There were big promises from Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie on a Scottish visa prior to the election, so if they’re serious about this matter then they can back our Bill to allow Holyrood to move forward with the creation of a unique scheme.

“The Scottish Government published detailed proposals for how a Scottish Visa could work so it’s now on the Labour Party to engage and move forward in the best interests of our NHS and our economy.

“This Bill is a reasonable and practical step to progress a Scottish Visa and I am open to negotiating and working with colleagues from across the political spectrum on making this Bill something as many MPs as possible can get behind, mindful as we should all be of commitments that have been made to the electorate.”