Addressing the Impacts of Labour Shortages on Scotland’s Economy (Amendment 1)
The first question is, that amendment S6M-02740.1, in the name of Liz Smith, which seeks to amend motion S6M-02740, in the name of Kate Forbes, on addressing the impact of labour shortages on Scotland’s economy, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
S6M-02740.1: As an amendment to motion S6M-02740 in the name of Kate Forbes (Addressing the Impacts of Labour Shortages on Scotland’s Economy), leave out from “reduced workforce” to end and insert “global supply chain issues and shortages of workers in some key sectors of the economy, and further recognises that there are serious and long-term structural issues within the Scottish economy, as shown by recent evidence presented by economic forecast groups, and that these must be addressed with more focussed Scottish Government policies targeted at reducing the skills gap, at improving productivity and stimulating economic growth.”

Original motion(S6M-02740):
That the Parliament recognises the resilience and innovation that employers and workers across many sectors of the economy have demonstrated throughout the last year in response to the continuation of workforce challenges associated with the pandemic, combined with reduced workforce availability as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU; believes that the Scottish Government and its agencies are committed to working with employers, business organisations and trade unions, to resolve and understand labour shortages, skills gaps and future requirements, and address recruitment and retention challenges through interventions and institutions designed to help more people into work, implementing a range of upskilling and retraining opportunities, and promoting the benefits of fair work, and calls on the UK Government to make immediate changes to its economically damaging migration policies in order to protect the provision of services and the delivery of goods through Scotland’s supply chains.

Original motion(S6M-02740):
That the Parliament recognises the resilience and innovation that employers and workers across many sectors of the economy have demonstrated throughout the last year in response to the continuation of workforce challenges associated with the pandemic, combined with reduced workforce availability as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU; believes that the Scottish Government and its agencies are committed to working with employers, business organisations and trade unions, to resolve and understand labour shortages, skills gaps and future requirements, and address recruitment and retention challenges through interventions and institutions designed to help more people into work, implementing a range of upskilling and retraining opportunities, and promoting the benefits of fair work, and calls on the UK Government to make immediate changes to its economically damaging migration policies in order to protect the provision of services and the delivery of goods through Scotland’s supply chains.