For immediate release:
REGISTRATIONS FOR OVERSEAS WORKERS DROPS BY 34 PERCENT
MSP Clare Haughey has blamed the UK Government’s Brexit rhetoric for a fall in the number of overseas workers coming to South Lanarkshire, and warned that this may cause damage to the local economy and public services.
Latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show an 18% drop in the number of National Insurance registrations by overseas workers coming to Scotland between 2015 and 2018.
South Lanarkshire has been hit with a 34% drop in migrant workers’ registration since 2016, the year of the EU referendum, with the figures reducing year on year. In 2016, 897 registrations were made, 738 in 2017, and 592 last year.
The figures reinforce warnings that South Lanarkshire could face a demographic crisis that could hammer public services – as an ageing population leaves Scotland with fewer working-age taxpayers.
Each year for the next 25 years, all of Scotland’s population growth is projected to come from migration.
Commenting, Blantyre MSP Clare Haughey said:
“The UK Government’s hostile approach to migration is failing South Lanarkshire.
“Their Brexit rhetoric is driving people away from Scotland, and putting local public services here on the line.
“The simple fact is that without inward migration our working-age population will decline, making it harder to fund vital public services like hospitals and schools in the future.
“It is now imperative for Scotland to have the powers to set an immigration policy which suits our specific needs and recognises the huge benefits migrant workers being to our economy and society.”
ENDS
Notes:
Further information on Scotland’s population can be read on the link below:
https://www.gov.scot/news/scotland-to-suffer-under-uk-immigration-proposals/
“Each year for the next 25 years all of Scotland’s population growth is projected to come from migration”, page 12:
Date published: 25th March 2019
Clare Haughey MSP 