CBI: Business needs flexible workforce

Britain needs a flexible workforce afforded by greater migration, but not a large-scale free movement of labour, claims the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Neil Carberry, head of employment at the CBI, spoke out following the House of Lords economic affairs committee report that found immigration brings "little or no" positive impact on living standards of Britons.

Mr Carberry said: "In the global economy, businesses need a flexible immigration system that allows them to source the skills they need when appropriate UK-born staff cannot be found.

"But employers have never argued for uncontrolled, mass migration, and large-scale movement of labour is not the long-term answer to our skills needs."

He went on to call on the government to ensure people have the necessary skills from schools for today's workplace.

"The government must do more to ensure that the young people emerging from our education system have the right skills for the workplace," the CBI employment chief concluded.