(Wirral South) (Lab): I
rise to speak to new clause 37, which is, shall we say, broadly
drawn and asks for a report from the Secretary of State on the
impact of the new immigration system on skills and the labour
market and how changes made to the immigration rules for European
economic area and Swiss nationals have affected skills shortages in
the labour market. If this clause were to be put in the Bill, I
expect that that report would be quite a long one, because the
impact of Brexit and the new immigration system on our country will
be extensive. However, I just want to make a few short comments
about a particular industry that is likely to be badly affected,
especially as that comes on top of the very serious impacts that it
has suffered from covid-19—that is the creative industries. You
know, Mr Deputy Speaker, how important those industries are to our
country. In making these points, I am proud to draw the attention
of the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial
Interests, because I could not be more honoured to have received
the support of a great trade union, the Musicians’
Union.
Therefore, we need to know now what the Government’s intentions
are and we need to secure new clause 37 so that we can monitor
the impact of their policies. I ask the Minister: what kind of
future do they envisage for our creative industries? What kind of
reciprocity do they foresee on social security arrangements and
other practical limitations on the ability of those working in
the creative industries and the arts to work elsewhere in Europe?
How do they plan to underpin the ability of some of our finest
artists, our best Musicians and our most
talented creatives to work across the continent, and the ability
of their partners in the creative pursuits to work here? This
could have a massive impact on the future of one of Britain’s
most important sectors...
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