Blears: Employers should pay for immigrants' English lessons
Thu 24 Apr 2008
23/04/2008
The communities secretary, Hazel Blears told MPs employers should pay more towards immigrants' English lessons, the Daily Mail has reported. She also said the payment could be enforced by law should firms fail to agree on the amount. Explaining the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' interest in the scheme, she said it would tell employers "you have got a responsibility to make a contribution to the costs of learning English and to do much more of it on site, in a more flexible way". Her ideas were voiced at the communities and local government committee's hearing on cohesion and migration. Immigrants contribute billions of pounds of tax each year and are part of an international movement of labour around the world. A report from the Lords economic affairs committee questioned the government's claim that migration has boosted the economy.
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