Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amber Rudd and Ross Thomson

Monday 8th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ross Thomson (Aberdeen South) (Con)]

7. What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect of immigration on the economy.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Amber Rudd)]

The Government are clear that carefully controlled migration benefits the economy, our Exchequer and our communities in general.

[Ross Thomson]

I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. The Scottish Government, as well as Scottish National party Members of this place, have been calling for immigration to be devolved. Does my right hon. Friend agree that any separate immigration systems would do nothing except lead to chaos, confusion and extra barriers for those looking to live and work in Scotland as well as in the rest of our United Kingdom?

[Amber Rudd]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Immigration is a reserved matter, and applying different rules of immigration to different parts of the UK would complicate the system. He might share my view that if Scotland wants to attract the brightest and the best, as the rest of the country does, it might think twice about raising its own taxes, because that might put people off.