Ex-convicts to assist hospitality over the festive period amid labour shortages.

The new scheme will see multiple prisons take part and will thoroughly vet prisoners to make sure they’re appropriate for the role.

The hospitality sector has had a major blow and has endured a tough 2 years amid the pandemic, and this scheme is an attempt to help the sector bounce back.

The shortage comes as previous staff were forced to leave their roles in hospitality to pursue other careers to make a living as the hospitality sector is regarded as the sector hit hardest because of the pandemic.

Hospitality isn’t the only sector that ex-offenders will be a part of. The Justice Secretary announced last Thursday that existing inmates will help with the widely publicised HGV driver shortage.

Speaking to LBC, Raab said he wanted to “draft them in to support the economy instead of relying on the "old addiction" of foreign labour.”

Raab also added: He added: "Business owners have told me ex-offenders are among the most reliable and motivated workers in their team – they have a desire to prove themselves trustworthy and they have something to lose."

As part of the scheme, leading figures in hospitality will visit the prisons, and convince offenders to apply of what is going to be very busy Christmas period.