That the Parliament recognises and appreciates the significant contributions to Scotland’s social care sector made by care professionals from all over the world, and particularly the significant contributions made during the COVID-19 pandemic by people who have chosen to make Scotland their home; notes with concern the impact on Scotland’s social care sector of the UK Government’s proposals for a future immigration system from 1 January 2021, and specifically the impact of its proposed salary threshold of £25,600 and the exclusion of social care workers and health support staff from its new Health and Care Visa; considers that the UK Government’s categorisation of many key workers, including care professionals, as “low skilled” does not recognise the social value, importance and skills required to do these crucial roles; notes that inward migration enriches society for the better, helps to sustain public services and makes a vital contribution to key sectors, including social care; recognises that the UK Government’s proposals risk causing serious staff shortages in social care and other sectors; calls on the UK Government to include social care workers on the Shortage Occupation List and within the Health and Care Visa, and to engage with the Scottish Government to develop tailored migration proposals that meet the needs of Scotland’s economy, public services and communities; notes that the average hourly wage for social care workers of £9.79, as reported by the Fair Work Convention in 2019, means that average full-time salaries for social care remain below the proposed Shortage Occupation List threshold; acknowledges that low pay within the social care sector is one of the main reasons for challenges with recruitment and retention in Scotland, and believes that the value of the skilled work done by social care staff must be reflected in their pay and conditions, and that improvements to pay within the sector must be delivered as part of the establishment of a National Care Service.
Supported by:
Ben Macpherson
Result 86 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote Agreed
Scottish National Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Labour
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Independent
No Party Affiliation
That the Parliament recognises and appreciates the significant contributions to Scotland’s social care sector made by care professionals from all over the world, and particularly the significant contributions made during the COVID-19 pandemic by people who have chosen to make Scotland their home; notes with concern the impact on Scotland’s social care sector of the UK Government’s proposals for a future immigration system from 1 January 2021, and specifically the impact of its proposed salary threshold of £25,600 and the exclusion of social care workers and health support staff from its new Health and Care Visa; considers that the UK Government’s categorisation of many key workers, including care professionals, as “low skilled” does not recognise the social value, importance and skills required to do these crucial roles; notes that inward migration enriches society for the better, helps to sustain public services and makes a vital contribution to key sectors, including social care; recognises that the UK Government’s proposals risk causing serious staff shortages in social care and other sectors, and calls on the UK Government to include social care workers on the Shortage Occupation List and within the Health and Care Visa, and to engage with the Scottish Government to develop tailored migration proposals that meet the needs of Scotland’s economy, public services and communities.
Submitted by: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Monday, September 14, 2020
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Result 85 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote Agreed
Submitted by: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Monday, September 14, 2020
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Result 29 for, 86 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote Disagreed