SCOTLAND’S carers have warned that Brexit is “turning off the tap” in retaining and recruiting crucial EU workers, raising the prospect of serious workforce shortages in key areas.

The expression of concern about a so-called “Brexodus” comes as Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, today has written to more than 120,000 EU nationals, urging them to stay in the UK after Britain quits the European Union.

Noting how she hopes the agreement reached earlier this month with Brussels on guaranteeing their rights to stay and work in Britain "provides certainty to you and your family ahead of Christmas," Ms Rudd adds: "EU citizens, like yourself, who have made the UK their home are our family, our neighbours and our colleagues and we want you to stay."

But giving evidence to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee in Edinburgh, Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care, representing a sector which supports some 100,000 social care workers, referred to fears about the impact of the UK’s withdrawal, saying: “For us, Brexit isn’t something that we are waiting to happen, it’s something that is already starting...”

Pointing to the impact of the fall of sterling on wages, he explained: “We are hearing anecdotally in the last year that more and more individuals are working out that it is more profitable for them to work back in their own country.”

Mr Mackaskill told MPs: “Our profound fear is that now we are in the process of already seeing the[workforce] tap being turned off.

“Where is that workforce going to come from and where are we going to get the people needed to care?”

Also giving evidence to the committee’s inquiry on immigration and Scotland, Shirley Rogers, Director of Health Workforce and Strategic Change at the Scottish Health Service, explained how one area of concern was the reduction in the number of EU citizens wanting to train in Scotland.

Noting how there had been a 96 per cent fall in the number of EU citizens recruited by the UK Royal College of Nursing this year, she revealed how all five of Scotland’s medical schools had warned of a “drop-off in the expressions of interest from the EU”.

Stressing how there was a strong co-relation between where someone trained and worked, Ms Rogers said: “It’s about how welcome and attractive we are in a world where[professionals] can go to America, Canada, Australia or anywhere else. My anxiety is around the messaging that we are sending to people.”

The latest official figures show that in the 12 months to June, net migration to Britain fell by the largest number since records began – some 106,000 to 230,000 – with EU nationals accounting for three-quarters of those who chose to return to their native country.

This morning, the full Cabinet will gather to have its first proper discussion on the “end state” of what Brexit should look like.

Yesterday, the 10-strong Brexit “war Cabinet” met in Downing Street with Theresa May telling senior colleagues that Britain must "aim high" in the negotiations with the EU over a post-Brexit trade deal.

As expected, there was no agreement; the Cabinet sub-committee divided between those who want to see more divergence from the EU, including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, and those who favour convergence like Philip Hammond and Ms Rudd.

What was agreed was the scope for “gradual divergence” once the implementation period ends in 2021.

Among those giving their views today will be David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, who is on the soft Brexit side of the argument.

During a Commons statement on last week's European Council, which gave the green light on transition and trade talks, the Prime Minister set her face firmly against any second referendum, telling MPs it would mean "betraying the British people".

Jeremy Corbyn for Labour urged her to offer a guarantee that "this Government will not seek to use Brexit to water down…working or social rights in this country" but Mrs May insisted she intended to "not only maintain but also enhance workers' rights".

The PM also told MPs she expected the UK to leave the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies on Brexit Day, March 29 2019, but that what happened in the following two-year transition was up for negotiation.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation welcomed her words, tweeting: “PM reaffirms UK leaving CFP on exit day. Welcome assurance...We must have first call on quota by the end of 2019.”

Later, however, No 10 noted how, in terms of the CAP and CFP, the UK would be “roughly the same as where we are today” during the transition period.