Visas: Highly Skilled People

Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford Excerpts

Wednesday 26th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lemos (Lab)]

How could I disagree? Let me make the situation absolutely clear. The Government, as everybody knows, are moving to an earned settlement approach but we are committed to increasing the numbers of exactly the kind of people the noble Lord refers to. They do not have a big impact on the overall total. On 14 October, the Government announced that they aim to double the number of highly skilled people coming to the UK on our high skills route, including the best researchers, designers, and creatives working in film and TV, to ensure continued competitiveness in those sectors. On the high-potential individuals, on 4 November, eligibility was expanded from the top 50 to the top 100 international universities, up to a cap of 8,000 applications. I hope that demonstrates to your Lordships’ House our commitment to attracting this talent. Perhaps I could take the opportunity to say that I am an immigrant myself and I pay testament to this country’s culture of fairness and opportunity—and I can tell you that I am neither global talent nor high potential.

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Boateng (Lab)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches next.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

It is the turn of the non-affiliated Benches.