What assessment has the Minister made of the suggestion by the Wales Governance Centre of considering rebates on the immigration health surcharge to fix the skills gap in the Welsh economy?
The Welsh Government needs to fully analyse the impact of the recent changes to the immigration system to better understand how those changes could impact the Welsh economy.
My officials have been in discussions with counterparts in the UK Government to ensure all the impact assessments relating to the recent announcements will be shared with us to demonstrate how the UK Government has considered the impact of those proposed changes on the devolved nations.
Once the Welsh Government is in receipt of those impact assessments we will work to better understand the impact for Welsh businesses, sectors and the wider economy.
The Welsh Government will continue to monitor impacts and assess what Welsh policy levers could be implemented, such as those recommended by the Wales Governance Centre, if and when required. Faced with the toughest financial situation we have encountered since devolution, we need to think very carefully about which approach would deliver value for money for Wales.
The Welsh Government will continue to urge the UK Government to better engage with the devolved governments ahead of the new immigration rules being announced.