Corporate report

Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) annual governance report, 2022 (accessible)

Updated 31 January 2023

Foreword

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is a non-statutory, non-time limited, advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) funded by the Home Office. Established in 2007, the Committee is currently made up of 5 members, including a Chair.

To support transparency, the MAC is required to produce an annual declaration of financial accounts, and these form an integral part of this governance report. A summary list of the stakeholder engagements that Members of the Committee, along with the Secretariat, have attended in the year is also provided. We are also including in this year’s governance report a record of all commissioned work and research papers published by the MAC in 2022.

This Governance Report sits alongside and separate to the more analytically focused Annual Report. This is the third Annual Report published as part of the wider remit of the MAC that was established in the 2018 Immigration White Paper and as laid out in the current framework document.

The framework document lays out our terms of reference, governance arrangements along with the responsibilities of the Home Office and the MAC Chair, Members and Secretariat. Finally, the working arrangements of the MAC and how it goes about its business are detailed in the framework document.

As an NDPB, there is a Cabinet Office requirement that the MAC be subject to an independent tailored review at least once in the lifetime of a Parliament. Such a review provides the opportunity for assurance and challenge of good governance and efficiency of public bodies. This review for the MAC was completed in September 2019, and the Committee and Secretariat engaged actively with the review process. We thoroughly support this review into our work, as we think it is vital for the confidence of the public and Parliament that we are subject to appropriate scrutiny. It is exceptionally disappointing to note that, despite the MAC highlighting our concern, over 3 years from its completion the review has yet to be published by the Government. The Nolan Principles of Public life highlight a commitment to accountability and openness, and we continue to urge the Government to publish the review without further delay.

MAC Committee

Chair, Professor Brian Bell

Brian Bell is a Professor of Economics at King’s Business School, a faculty of King’s College London. He joined KCL in 2017, following 4 years as an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Oxford University and a Tutorial Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. He is a Research Associate at the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics. Professor Bell is a leading labour economist who is widely published, and his work on immigration has included papers examining the progress of immigrants in the labour market in the UK, and the impact of immigration on crime in the UK. He has also worked extensively outside academia, including at the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund, and in a number of financial companies in the UK.

Professor Bell has previously served as a member of the Police and National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Bodies.

Appointed February 2018 to February 2021

Appointed Chair July 2020 to June 2023

Members

Madeleine Sumption MBE

Madeleine Sumption is the Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, which provides impartial analysis of migration in the UK for public and policy audiences. Her research focuses on labour migration and the economic and social impacts of migration policies.

Before joining Oxford, Madeleine was Director of Research for the international program at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), in Washington, DC. She is currently chair of the Migration Statistics User Forum, which brings together producers and users of migration data in the UK. In 2017, she received an MBE for services to social science.

Appointed July 2016 to July 2019

Reappointed July 2019 to July 2022

Reappointed July 2022 to July 2025

Professor Jo Swaffield

A Professor of Economics and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Southampton, Professor Swaffield is an applied micro labour economist with strong research expertise in the UK labour market and a track record of providing quality research evidence to government. Her main research fields are in labour economics and applied micro-econometrics, focusing on issues such as the gender wage gap, low wages including minimum wages and the living wage, and employment, particularly in terms of working hours.

Professor Swaffield’s research has been published in leading economics journals and gained external funding from prestigious funders. She has delivered a number of commissioned research reports that have formed part of the evidence base for the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations on the UK’s National Minimum Wage.

Appointed February 2018 to February 2021

Reappointed February 2021 to February 2024

Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado

Sergi Pardos-Prado is Professor of Comparative Politics and Research Director of the Politics and International Relations department at the University of Glasgow. He was previously Associate Professor in Politics at Merton College, University of Oxford, and Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College Oxford. He received his PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence.

Professor Pardos-Prado’s research expertise lies at the intersection between comparative politics, comparative political economy, and political behaviour. His work focuses on how labour market structures, welfare state designs, and immigration policy regimes affect migrant integration and inter-ethnic conflict. Professor Pardos-Prado’s research has been published in leading political science journals and gained external funding from prestigious funders.

Appointed May 2021 to April 2024

Professor Dina Kiwan

A Professor of Comparative Education at the University of Birmingham, Professor Kiwan has an interdisciplinary background in psychology, sociology, and education. Her broad research programme focuses on citizenship, inclusion and is interdisciplinary and comparative in scope. Her interests centre around sociological and politico-philosophical examinations of inclusive citizenship through the lens of education policy, naturalisation policy and migration policy, in particular in the context of pluralist/multicultural societies, and also societies in conflict.

Professor Kiwan has extensive and long-standing experience and networks in the UK and internationally, in the field of citizenship and currently leads the GCRF Network Plus Disability Under Siege programme (2020-2024) working with partners in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine to address the challenge that most children with disabilities never go to school. Her policy and consulting experience includes co-authoring the UNESCO curriculum framework for global citizenship education (2015), co-authoring the Diversity and Citizenship review for UK government’s Department of Education (2007), and appointment by the Home Secretary to the Home Office ‘Life in the UK’ Advisory Group (2002).

Appointed May 2021 to April 2024

Financial reporting

For the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, the MAC’s delegated budget was £1,180,000. This is allocated by the Home Office and managed by the Head of the Secretariat. A breakdown of the expenditure is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Budget and expenditure

	FY21/22		FY20/21
	Budget (£)	Expenditure (£)	Budget (£)	Expenditure (£)
Secretariat salaries		1,130,763		932,926
Chair salary		40,000		40,000
Committee members’ fees		24,200		23,650
Travel and subsistence		279		196
Training and development		12,957		32,846
Other office costs		11,800		15,263
Total	1,180,000	1,219,999	900,000	1,044,881

Source: Home Office financial system

Notes: Budget breakdown is not available. Total budget was delegated as a single amount.

The expenditure for FY 21-22, excluding research, which is set apart (see section below), was £1,219,999. This saw an overspend of £39,999.

The costs accounted for include:

• The Chair, who is paid £40,000 per year (for 2 days work per week on MAC business);
• Committee members fees (a rate of £275 per day), with members normally working 2 days per month on MAC business. Members are expected to attend at least 80% of the full meetings held by the MAC per year, with these meetings typically being held at least once per month;
• The salaries of the MAC Secretariat (a team of around 25 civil servants^{[footnote 1]}. The increase in spend compared to the previous financial year is due to the secretariat reaching its full headcount allocation; and,
• Non-pay administrative costs including:
  • Administrative costs utilized on specialist staff training and subscription licences for data;
  • Unplanned IT costs; and,
  • Providing equipment to support homeworking during Covid restrictions.

Research and publications

External research is commissioned by the secretariat, on behalf of the MAC, using the standard Home Office procurement process to ensure that it delivers value for money. The MAC worked on 2 commissions from the Government during this reporting period. This included a review of the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) route and a review of the impact of the ending of freedom of movement on the adult social care sector.

The amount of £101,325 (excluding VAT) was utilized for research purposes^{[footnote 2]} as set out below:

Review of the ICT route

• Interviews and analysis of workers on the ICT route: £31,950
  • For the review of the ICT route^{[footnote 3]}, the MAC commissioned an independent research contractor, Revealing Reality, to conduct qualitative research with users of the ICT route. This research was carried out with 15 employees and 15 employers who had used the ICT route. Fieldwork took place between 25 June and 10 September 2021. Revealing Reality’s report can be found at: Employer and employee use of ICT visas: a qualitative study.

Review of adult social care

• For the review of adult social care^{[footnote 4]}, the MAC commissioned two studies:

1. Revealing Reality conducted qualitative research with employers and employees in the sector to understand: £46,725
   • Current practices;
   • The experiences of both employers and employees within adult social care; and,
   • The impact that the ending of free movement has had on the sector.

Revealing Reality’s report can be found at: Recruitment and retention in adult social care, a qualitative study.

1. A comprehensive review of immigration routes for adult social care workers across the OECD, carried out by Maria Vincenza Desiderio: £9,450

Her report can be found at: International review: immigration routes for social care workers.

• In addition, research funding was spent on procuring an expert advisory panel, comprising 4 members^{[footnote 5]}: £13,200

Recruitment

On 1 May 2021, Professor Dina Kiwan and Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado were appointed as members of the MAC for 3 years.

Madeleine Sumption MBE was reappointed as a member of the MAC for a further 3 years from the end of her current term ending July 2022.

2022 stakeholder engagement

Record of all stakeholder engagement in 2022 leading up to this report. The MAC Secretariat have held a number of discussions with cross-Whitehall and Devolved Administration colleagues regarding our work, including discussions with:

• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS);
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS);
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA);
• Department for Education (DfE);
• Department for the Economy (DfE, Northern Ireland Executive);
• Department for Transport (DfT);
• Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA, Northern Ireland Executive);
• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC);
• Director of Labour Market Enforcement (DLME);
• European Transition, Welsh Government;
• Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA);
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC);
• HM Treasury (HMT);
• Home Office;
• Low Pay Commission (LPC);
• Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA);
• Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS);
• Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR);
• Office for National Statistics (ONS);
• Population and Migration Division, Scottish Government;
• Skills and Productivity Board (SPB) (replaced by Unit for Future Skills (UFS)); and
• Social Care Workforce Policy, Welsh Government

Date	Event	Attendees
19/01/2022	Meeting with Skills for Care	Prof Brian Bell (Chair) + Secretariat Members
26/01/2022	Meeting with Professor Jill Manthorpe, social care expert	Secretariat Members
27/01/2022	Meeting with Citizens Advice	Prof Brian Bell (Chair) + Secretariat Members
03/02/2022	Meeting with Yvette Cooper MP	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
03/02/2022	Meeting with Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)	Secretariat Members
14/02/2022	Meeting with Indeed	Secretariat Members
17/02/2022	Care Sector Roundtable	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Madeleine Sumption, Prof Sergi Pardos-Prado, Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
21/02/2022	MAC Cross-Whitehall Stakeholder Forum	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
23/02/2022	Meeting with Dr Isabel Shutes, social care expert	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Madeleine Sumption, Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
24/02/2022	Meeting with Scottish Care	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Prof Sergi Pardos-Prado, Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
25/02/2022	Meeting with Spinal Injuries Association	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
02/03/2022	Meeting with Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)	Secretariat Members
16/03/2022	Meeting with National Care Forum	Secretariat Members
21/03/2022	MAC External Stakeholder Forum	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
30/03/2022	Meeting with the Health Foundation	Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
31/03/2022	Meeting with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and MATILDE Researchers	Secretariat Members
01/04/2022	Formal peer review meeting with social care experts	Madeleine Sumption, Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
06/04/2022	Meeting with FSB, Northern Ireland	Secretariat Members
06/04/2022	IGC Immigration Working Group	Secretariat Members
11/04/2022	Meeting with Invest Northern Ireland	Secretariat Members
27/04/2022	MAC Social Care Press Conference	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
09/05/2022	Meeting with Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Scotland	Secretariat Members
10/05/2022	Dutch Advisory Committee on Migration Affairs (ACVZ) expert meeting on migrants working in long-term care	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
10/05/2022	Meeting with French Chamber of Commerce HR Club	Secretariat Members
18/05/2022	MATILDE Research Project - Initial Policy Roundtable	Secretariat Members
20/05/2022	FLEX presentation at Committee meeting	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Prof Dina Kiwan, Prof Sergi Pardos-Prado, Madeleine Sumption, Prof Jo Swaffield, Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
26/05/2022	Meeting with the OBR	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
31/05/2022	Meeting with TheCityUK to discuss short-term mobility	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
01/06/2022	Meeting with FSB, Scotland	Secretariat Members
01/06/2022	Meeting with Indeed	Secretariat Members
09/06/2022	Westminster Forum	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
09/06/2022	Meeting with Neil Gray, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development with a special responsibility for refugees from Ukraine	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
23/06/2022	MAC Cross-Whitehall Stakeholder Forum	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
27/06/2022	Meeting with COSLA and MATILDE Researchers	Secretariat Members
04/07/2022	DLME/University College London research advisory group meeting	Secretariat Members
07/07/2022	Meeting with Enterprise Northern Ireland	Secretariat Members
14/07/2022	Meeting with Revealing Reality	Secretariat Members
14/07/2022	Meeting with the Warwick Institute for Employment Research	Madeleine Sumption, Secretariat Members
18/07/2022	Meeting with Cabinet Office officials	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
21/07/2022	Nuffield Trust Roundtable: sharing learning on the social care workforce	Secretariat Members
27/07/2022	Meeting with Revealing Reality	Secretariat Members
03/08/2022	MAC External Stakeholder Forum	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
10/08/2022	Meeting with Dr James Davies MP	Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
22/08/2022	Meeting with Chambers Wales	Secretariat Members
26/08/2022	Meeting with FSB	Secretariat Members
30/08/2022	Meeting with Revealing Reality	Secretariat Members
01/09/2022	Meeting with National Manufacturing Institute Scotland	Secretariat Members
02/09/2022	Meeting with Talent Scotland	Secretariat Members
08/09/2022	Meeting with Lt Gen Skeates, Cabinet Office	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
13/09/2022	Home Office Future Borders and Immigration System (FBIS) - Vulnerability Advisory Group	Secretariat Members
13/09/2022	Welsh Government Migration Roundtable	Madeleine Sumption + Secretariat Members
17/09/2022	Roundtable at Health Foundation	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
20/09/2022	Home Office FBIS - National and SME Advisory Group	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
20/09/2022	Meeting with the Economic Policy Centre, Ulster University	Secretariat Members
20/09/2022	Meeting with Revealing Reality	Secretariat Members
22/09/2022	Home Office FBIS - Employers Advisory Group	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
27/09/2022	Meeting with Revealing Reality	Secretariat Members
28/09/2022	Meeting with Indeed	Secretariat Members
11/10/2022	Skills for Care Annual Workforce Report Launch Event	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
17/10/2022	Meeting with HMT & OBR	Prof Brian Bell (Chair), Toby Nutley
17/10/2022	Health Foundation Roundtable	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
20/10/2022	Meeting with Work Rights Centre	Toby Nutley + Secretariat Members
20/10/2022	Work Rights Centre presentation on Ukraine research	Secretariat Members
25/10/2022	House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee	Madeleine Sumption
26/10/2022	Meeting with Yvette Cooper MP	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
27/10/2022	MATILDE Research Project - Final Policy Roundtable	Secretariat Members
01/11/2022	Meeting with Wage and Employment Dynamics Project	Secretariat Members
09/11/2022	Meeting with Welsh Local Government Association	Secretariat Members
09/11/2022 - 11/11/2022	General Directors’ immigration Services Conference	Madeleine Sumption
15/11/2022	Roundtable on seasonal workers with representative organisations	Secretariat Members
23/11/2022	Nuffield Foundation Report Launch Event	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
23/11/2022	Meeting with Manufacturing Northern Ireland	Secretariat Members
23/11/2022	Meeting with BMI Trailers	Secretariat Members
24/11/2022	Meeting with Institute for Government	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)
07/12/2022	Meeting with the Cavendish Coalition	Prof Brian Bell (Chair)

2022 MAC publications

Record of all commissioned work and research papers published by the MAC in 2022.

Date	Name of publication
03/03/2022	Migration Advisory Committee Research Paper: Skills shortages and employers of migrant workers
27/04/2022	Adult Social Care and Immigration: A Report from the Migration Advisory Committee
12/07/2022	Revealing Reality Independent Report: Recruitment and retention in adult social care: A qualitative study
08/12/2022	Migration Advisory Committee Research Paper: Indeed Data Exploration
13/12/2022	Migration Advisory Committee Annual Report 2022

1. The total number of staff includes 6 placements of various grades funded by a separate central Home Office budget not included in the secretariat salaries in Table 1. ↩

2. Research is not included in Table 1 as it does not represent part of the day-to-day running costs of the MAC but is instead wholly driven by the commissions the MAC receives from the Government. ↩

3. Review of the Intra-company Transfer (ICT) route 2021 ↩

4. Review of adult social care 2022 ↩

5. Social care expert advisory group appointed ↩