EEF, the manufacturers' organisation has criticised government proposals to introduce a visa levy on businesses that use foreign labour. 

A consultation on such a scheme was announced in the Queen's speech, which specified that the finance would be used to fund three million more apprenticeships over the next five years through the measure. 

Head of employment policy at the EEF Tim Thomas acknowledged that this apprenticeship target is an ambitious one, and that manufacturers will be willing to "step up to the plate". 

However, he emphasised the fact that employers will always need to look outside the UK for staff from time to time, and to punish this with a levy would be punitive. 

"Any future apprenticeship levy imposed on these employers ... risks alienating the same employers who already train UK apprentices," Mr Thomas commented.