VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Migrant Workers

Asked by Rebecca SmithConservativeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 1 April 2026UIN 123440

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who have the legal right to work in the UK but are unable to access employment in their qualified profession due to regulatory or accreditation barriers; and what steps his Department is taking to help reduce this number.

Answered by Chris Bryant

Decisions regarding an individual's professional recognition are made and recorded by independent regulators. Data related to the number of individuals who have the legal right to work in the UK but are unable to due to regulatory or accreditation barriers is therefore not collected by the Department.

As we said in the industrial and trade strategies, the department is currently working with regulators to prioritise the recognition of professional qualifications with international partners to support the UK's economic growth and labour market.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim