Sir, Seamus Nevin, of the Institute of Directors, claims that employers’ enthusiasm for foreign workers is the fault of successive governments, who have supposedly failed to educate English young people (report, Aug 28). What he fails to note is that, since the late 1990s, UK businesses’ spending on training has fallen dramatically and consistently. It is, of course, much cheaper for them to hire foreign nationals who have been trained at other countries’ and employers’ expense.
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich
Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management, KCL
Sir, Lord Green of Deddington’s analysis (letter, Aug 31) of the migration trade-off seems to be based entirely on Britain’s self-interest. He appears to be oblivious of the desperate plight of the Syrian refugees. A few weeks ago we commemorated the heroism and the sacrifices of the wartime generation. I doubt if our response to the Syrian catastrophe will so impress future generations. During the war, the statement “Britain stood alone” could be said with pride. Today it is becoming a badge of shame.
R P Fernando
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Epsom, Surrey