Highland MP challenges UK Government on Home Office changes to visa rules

An Easter Ross MP has implored the UK Government to better support and facilitate overseas recruitment into the fishing industry.

Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone, spoke during an Urgent Question tabled by his fellow MP Alistair Carmichael, in light of the sudden Home Office changes to visa rules. The changes terminate the temporary arrangements which enable easier recruitment of fishermen from abroad.

Referencing Caithness-based wholesaler, Scrabster Seafoods, Mr Stone said: "If the skippers can't get the crew for the boats, the boats don't get to sea, and if the boats don't get to sea, they don't catch the fish".

Following the debate, the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross commented: "With inflation out of control, one would hope that the Government would care much more about the knock-on effects to hospitality and food costs that these changes will have.

"The UK was built and rebuilt with the help of immigration. Mr Calder of Scrabster Seafoods provides plenty of good local jobs. But if he can't get boats to sea, and he doesn't get a steady supply of fish, this could mean damage to his business and we don't want anything like that at all.

"These are businesses owned by hard-working people who have saved, borrowed, and invested to provide for themselves, their families, and their communities. The very food on our plates is down to their and their employees' hard graft.

"The Government needs to ask itself one question, is it about business or not?"

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