Today's top stories include commentary around the future immigration system and child sexual exploitation.
Migration cap on skilled workers
The Telegraph, Times and Sun all report on calls by the campaign group Migration Watch for a cap to be placed on the number of skilled workers coming to the UK after Brexit to prevent further sharp rises in migration.
The Telegraph reports that Migration Watch has urged the Prime Minister and Home Secretary to resist demands to remove limits on work permits for skilled workers as part of their plans for an Australian-style points-based immigration system.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
We will deliver on the people’s priorities by introducing a points-based immigration system from 2021 to attract the brightest and best talent from around the world while bringing overall numbers down.
As we end free movement, this firmer and fairer new system will allow us to decide who comes to this country on the basis of the skills they have and the contribution they can make – not where they come from.
Call for child grooming "rethink"
The Independent reports on calls from the NSPCC for a “radical rethink” of efforts to prevent sexual grooming of children.
The call comes following statistics from the Department for Education showing that almost 19,000 child victims of grooming were identified by local authorities in 2018-19. Separate analysis by the NSPCC found that recorded sexual offences against children had reached an all-time high of 76,204 in 2018-19.
The charity has called for more “joined-up support” from police forces, NHS services and children’s services to identify victims and prevent abuse, saying that victims can be left struggling with the trauma of their abuse for the rest of their lives.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
The Home Office is committed to tackling child sexual abuse and will leave no stone in tackling this abhorrent behaviour.
This is why we the Government launched the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse to get to the truth, expose what has gone wrong and learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry operates independently of Government and, within its terms of reference, decides for itself what it investigates. The Inquiry is investigating institutional responses to child sexual exploitation by organised networks with public hearings set for the spring of 2020.