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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Companies 'have duty' to hire local workers - minister | Companies 'have duty' to hire local workers - minister |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Companies have a "social duty" to hire local workers before immigrants, a Conservative minister has said. | Companies have a "social duty" to hire local workers before immigrants, a Conservative minister has said. |
| Matthew Hancock said companies should consider recruiting locally rather than immediately take what he called "the easy option" of hiring from abroad. | Matthew Hancock said companies should consider recruiting locally rather than immediately take what he called "the easy option" of hiring from abroad. |
| Firms with apprenticeship schemes had a workforce that was more "motivated and connected", he suggested. | Firms with apprenticeship schemes had a workforce that was more "motivated and connected", he suggested. |
| But the UK Independence Party said the comments were "utterly meaningless" while the UK remained part of the EU. | But the UK Independence Party said the comments were "utterly meaningless" while the UK remained part of the EU. |
| Mr Hancock, who is in charge of skills policy at the Department for Business, said that while British firms were not legally obliged to prioritise local workers, he believed they had a responsibility to support local employment. | Mr Hancock, who is in charge of skills policy at the Department for Business, said that while British firms were not legally obliged to prioritise local workers, he believed they had a responsibility to support local employment. |
| 'Greater attachment' | 'Greater attachment' |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that foreign recruitment had been too high during the "boom years" under the last Labour government and, as the economy started to recover, firms should be prepared to spend more to train local staff. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that foreign recruitment had been too high during the "boom years" under the last Labour government and, as the economy started to recover, firms should be prepared to spend more to train local staff. |
| "The responsibility of employers is to the communities they live in as well as to making a pure profit," he said. "This is about a change of culture. I am arguing that it is companies' social responsibility, their social duty, to look at employing locally first." | "The responsibility of employers is to the communities they live in as well as to making a pure profit," he said. "This is about a change of culture. I am arguing that it is companies' social responsibility, their social duty, to look at employing locally first." |
| He added: "Those who put the effort in have ended up with a more motivated employee, who is more connected to their company." | |
| Former prime minister Gordon Brown told the Labour Party conference in 2007 that the government would be "drawing on the talents of all to create British jobs for British workers". | Former prime minister Gordon Brown told the Labour Party conference in 2007 that the government would be "drawing on the talents of all to create British jobs for British workers". |
| At the time, he was criticised by the Conservatives and others for cheap populism and pledging something that was undeliverable, because of free movement of labour within the European Union. | At the time, he was criticised by the Conservatives and others for cheap populism and pledging something that was undeliverable, because of free movement of labour within the European Union. |
| 'Can of worms' | 'Can of worms' |
| Mr Hancock denied he was essentially saying the same thing now, insisting he was calling for a change in corporate culture rather than a change in the law and his focus was on bigger firms with the capacity to invest in training. | |
| Asked whether "local workers" meant British workers, he told BBC Radio 5Live: "It is a matter of making sure that people who are here get given the chance...I am talking about local young unemployed people, certainly who live locally, people who are unemployed here. | |
| He suggested firms need to rethink where they looked for job applicants: "How many people go to their local job centre where there are people searching for work and ask them to supply candidates before taking someone and bringing them in from abroad?" | |
| Figures published earlier this month showed a further 57,000 fall in total unemployment but long-term joblessness continues to rise while nearly a million 18-24 year olds are still out of work. | Figures published earlier this month showed a further 57,000 fall in total unemployment but long-term joblessness continues to rise while nearly a million 18-24 year olds are still out of work. |
| Ministers say more than 520,000 people started an apprenticeship last year, a 13% rise on the previous year, while next month they are launching traineeships programmes to help 16-24 year olds prepare for the world of work and gain new skills. | |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said that the EU was advertising 800,000 jobs in the UK to those living in its other 27 member states. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage said that the EU was advertising 800,000 jobs in the UK to those living in its other 27 member states. |
| "Mr Hancock's comments are totally, utterly meaningless rubbish, while we remain part of the EU's single market," he told the BBC News Channel. "He is not allowed to put the interests of British workers first because we are members of the EU." | "Mr Hancock's comments are totally, utterly meaningless rubbish, while we remain part of the EU's single market," he told the BBC News Channel. "He is not allowed to put the interests of British workers first because we are members of the EU." |
| Conservative election strategist Lynton Crosby was "clearly behind" the announcement, Mr Farage suggested, and voters would be angry if their "expectations were raised" and nothing actually happened. | Conservative election strategist Lynton Crosby was "clearly behind" the announcement, Mr Farage suggested, and voters would be angry if their "expectations were raised" and nothing actually happened. |
| "They (the Conservatives) know they have lost the argument on jobs and immigration and UKIP have stolen a march on them and are attempting, through rhetoric, to take that territory back." | "They (the Conservatives) know they have lost the argument on jobs and immigration and UKIP have stolen a march on them and are attempting, through rhetoric, to take that territory back." |