AQO 471/16-21

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 06/10/2016
Answered On Date: 10/01/2017
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their assessment of the role of European Union migrant workers in the local economy following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

Answer:

Our assessment of the role of migrant workers from the EU and elsewhere is set out in our letter of 10 August to the Prime Minister.

It is critical to our economy that both domestic and Foreign Direct Investment ventures retain their competiveness and do not incur additional costs.

Access to labour, skilled and unskilled, is not only essential to our growing private sector, but to the public sector, who are also heavily dependent on EU and other migrant labour to meet demands.

We acknowledge and value the continuing positive contribution of minority ethnic people and migrant workers, not just to our economic life, but to our public, political, social and cultural life too. We must ensure this continues.