SAVE The Great British Curry Industry, Vast Demonstration on 10th July 2018 inside and outside House of Commons. closure of restaurants around the country at an alarming rate of 3-4 per week.

IMMEDIATE PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4th JULY 2018

BCA Campaigning for Change &

Fighting for the Survival of the Great British Curry Industry

12 – 4 pm Tuesday July 10^th 2018

Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London W1A 0AA

The Bangladesh Catering Association (BCA) is calling for its members and the community leaders to lobby at House of Commons on the 10^th of July 2018, UK Government to demand a review of its immigration policy.

The Great British curry industry has been suffering since the government's cap on skilled workers was introduced over 10 years ago. When, without due consultation Tier 3 of the then immigration rules was removed.

The BCA responded to this unfair discrimination by organising the largest demonstration on behalf of this in 2008 at Trafalgar Square, The demonstration was attended by over 40,000 people and as a result the Chefs were added to the Shortage Occupation List. However, the criteria and demands set has since put the industry under tremendous pressure and has resulted in the closure of restaurants around the country at an alarming rate of 3-4 per week.

Added to this are the heavy handed raids by UKBA and heavily imposed penalties to the burden levied upon the restaurateurs eager to maintain and survive the current economic climate.

“We urge the government to review and revise their policy as this cap is creating a vacuum in the area of skilled chefs, damaging growth and sustainability of the industry.” said Kamal Yakub, President of the BCA

BCA urge the government to review and reverse this policy as the cap is created a vacuum in the area of skilled chefs, that has directly damaged the growth and sustainability of the industry.

Promises made to review the immigration policy following the announcement of Brexit were dashed along with the many promises of re- structure of the immigration rules and criteria for this sector and previous attempts by this and former governments to train chefs within specialized Training Centres of Excellence in the UK have consistently failed to produce the skilled chefs required to address the shortage.

The Bangladesh Caterers Association are calling on the UK Government to:

• Recognise the unique characteristics of ethnic catering, and to

Review the criteria and salary bandings on the Occupations

Shortage List.

• Stop all disruptive Border Immigration Agency (BIA) actions

• Recognise urgently our industry as an area of skills shortage

and relax the rules accordingly to allow urgent recruitment

• Recognise the unique language and authentic characteristics of ethnic catering

• Work with our communities to invest in specific skill training

programmes, which would resolve long-term labour problems

in the British ethnic catering businesses and provide

employment opportunities for local people

• Support the move to regularise undocumented workers which would

alleviate much of the pressure of providing a work placement for skilled

Chefs

This will be the first time since our monumental and historic Trafalgar Square rally in 2008 when people from diverse British migrant communities came together to show our solidarity and make the public and politicians aware of the issues and concerns .” said Mr Oli Khan Secretary General of BCA

EDITORS NOTES:

This will be the first time since our monumental and historic Trafalgar Square rally in 2008 when people from diverse British migrant communities came together to show our solidarity and make our views known to politicians.

Over the years we have contributed much to this country; £4.2 Billion in Tax Revenue per year.

Now is the time for politicians to listen to the needs of the industry and of our communities who rely on this sector and work with us to save this sector and create a sustainable Industry

END

Contact:

Oli Khan – Secretary General, BCA Mob: 07748155910

Ali Babar – PR & Media Consultant Mob: 07538480189

Email: info@bca1960.com

www.bca1960.com

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