THE UK Government has been urged to devolve powers over migration and employment to Holyrood amid warnings they are essential to boost Scotland's labour market.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) – Scotland's largest trade union body – has warned it is "imperative" that Scotland has control over such powers in order to plug skills gaps and support recruitment.
The Scottish Government said it welcomed the full devolution of employment powers to Holyrood, adding that it had invited the Home Office to take part in "further engagement" on the immigration system.
Speaking at Holyrood's finance and public administration committee on Wednesday, STUC deputy general secretary Dave Moxham relayed the "positive effect" migration has had in Scotland.
The committee was taking evidence on its pre-Budget scrutiny of the affordability and sustainability of Scotland's tax and spending plans.
Moxham told the committee: "There is a useful discussion that government can have with Westminster around devolution of powers on employability in a way that would work with infrastructure.
“I do also have to say – and it won’t be welcome to everybody here – but any medium-term view of the rebalancing of Scotland’s communities and population has to take a view of the positive effect migration can have.
“We would suggest to the Scottish Government as part of this agenda that they discuss very actively with Westminster whether certain [migration] powers could be devolved as advocated by unions and business."
Speaking to The National after the committee, Moxham implored the Scottish Government to recognise that "you cannot cut your way to growth".
He said: "If the Scottish Government are serious about achieving public sector reform in a way that benefits communities and workers, they would do well to reengage with the UK Government to acquire the powers over migration and employment law that strengthen workers’ rights and help plug our skills gap.
“A number of economic sectors have been crying out for skilled labour to grow our workforce and boost economic growth. For too long has the demonisation of migrants from certain political quarters been allowed to go unchallenged, neglecting the real, positive impact skilled migration has brought to Scotland’s workplaces.
“Ensuring the powers over migration and employment law are devolved to the Scottish Parliament is therefore an imperative. It’s time that the Labour UK Government made good on their promises to supercharge devolution and granted further powers that give real agency and influence back to the workers of Scotland.
Tom Arthur, the Scottish Government's Minister for Business and Fair Work, commented: “The full devolution of employment powers is the best way to protect workers’ rights in Scotland in the long term.
"In the meantime we continue to explore opportunities for further devolution of employability services and our Fair Work policy is driving up labour market standards for workers across Scotland."
Arthur said the Scottish Government is "clear that the UK Government must reverse its damaging changes to immigration policy".
"Migration will play an increasingly important role in supporting our economy, public services and communities in the years ahead as deaths increasingly outnumber births, while the number of older people grows significantly and there are fewer younger people and working-age adults," he continued.
The minister added: "We have published proposals for tailored routes to Scotland and I have written to the Home Office to invite further engagement on ensuring that the immigration system works for Scotland.
“Only with the fresh start of independence will Scotland have the powers to ensure we create a system that meets the distinct needs of Scotland's economy and communities.”
The UK Government was also approached for comment.
