MP pushes Home Office on action on Cumbria’s hospitality staffing crisis

On the floor of the House of Commons last week, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron pressed ministers for an update on what action they are taking to tackle the hospitality and tourism staffing crisis in the county.

It comes after a recent survey by Cumbria Tourism's Business Performance Tracker revealed that 86% of business owners in the county believe they have issues recruiting staff. This figure is up from 73% just six months ago.

Speaking during a debate on visas for foreign workers in the fishing industry, Tim said: "The plight of the fishing industry is closely allied to hospitality and tourism in coastal areas and other parts of the United Kingdom, which face a similar crisis. Some 63% of the hospitality and tourism businesses in my community are operating below capacity, because of a lack of staff.

"The Minister's department has been in discussions with me and the tourism industry about a youth mobility visa scheme with France, Spain, Poland and other countries.

"Can she give me an update or at least allow a meeting between me, the tourism industry and Ministers to see how they are getting on with bilateral negotiations over youth mobility visas to solve this problem?"

Responding, the Home Office Minister Sarah Dines said: "The Government are fully aware of shortages in all sorts of industries in the country, which is why we want to get more British people back working, particularly the over-50s, and there have been a lot of schemes on that.

"The Government are working hard, and there will be a package of support to enable employers to implement this measure, so that the fishing industry is the same as every other industry. We are cognisant of differences - geographical and otherwise - and the idea is that the will of this House to have a skilled worker scheme is brought into play."