Thread: UNITED KINDOM : Migrant numbers 'must be reduced'

Migrant numbers 'must be reduced'

Page last updated at 13:01 GMT, Saturday, 18 October 2008 14:01 UK

The number of migrants allowed into the UK under the points system may have to be reduced because of the economic crisis, an immigration minister says.

Phil Woolas told the Times immigration became an "extremely thorny" subject if people were losing their jobs.

"It's been too easy to get into this country in the past and it's going to get harder," he said.

The Home Office said the new points-based system provided "a powerful and flexible set of controls".

The government recently introduced a points-based system to attract migrants from outside the EU judged to be most valuable to the economy.

There has to be a balance between the number of people coming in and the number of people leaving

Phil Woolas Immigration Minister

But Mr Woolas, who became immigration minister in the reshuffle earlier this month, said: "This government isn't going to allow the population to go up to 70 million.

"There has to be a balance between the number of people coming in and the number of people leaving."

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the population grew by nearly two million to almost 61m people between 2001 and 2007.

Various official projections predict this to rise to 77m in 2051 or 110m in 2081.

BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said it was significant Mr Woolas had quoted 70 million as an upper limit for the UK population.

The government had, before now, fought shy of setting a "population policy" because it was difficult for ministers to explain how it would be managed, he said.

This is because immigration from inside the EU cannot be controlled, and neither can a limit be placed on genuine claims for asylum.

Our correspondent said this meant there would be "all sorts of questions raised" about how the government was going to achieve its aim.

'Turning point'

Former Labour minister Frank Field, who is a member of a cross-party group on immigration, welcomed the government's seeming change of emphasis.

The Conservatives want to know what the government will do to put its new population policy into practice

The BBC's Ross Hawkins

The MP for Birkenhead told the BBC's Today programme it may have been argued when the economy was enjoying a boom, that there was a case for an "open immigration policy" - although he did not accept that.
But he said: "When we're moving into a recession, the length of which we do not yet know, the immigration policy suitable for a boom is totally unsuitable for a recession."

He said the key was to "break the link" between people coming to the UK to work and gaining citizenship, which increased the population.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, which argues for balanced migration, told BBC Five Live Mr Woolas's remarks showed a significant development in the immigration debate.

"I think this could be a significant turning point. I think the economic crisis has shown up the weakness of uncontrolled immigration.

The immigration policy suitable for a boom is totally unsuitable for a recession

Frank Field MP

"This is the very first time that a government minister has recognised the link between immigration and population. The government have been in denial about that for years."
But the chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz, told the Times he would be "astonished" at a Labour immigration minister "in effect changing the policy".

The Labour MP added: "His predecessor and the home secretary have made it very clear they do not support a quota."

Skills shortage

Keith Best, chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service, told Today there was a danger Mr Woolas's comments could be misinterpreted.

From what Phil Woolas is saying this morning he appears to agree with us now

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green

"This is what's going to come across as 'We don't want migrant workers'."
An economic downturn would mean fewer people would be attracted to the UK for work anyway, he said - but some skills shortages would still exist even in recession.

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said it appeared Labour was following Conservative policy.

"We've argued for an annual limit, the government has argued against it. From what Phil Woolas is saying this morning he appears to agree with us now - that's fine."

Chris Huhne, the Lib Dem's home affairs spokesman, argued the UK did not just need a population policy, but a regional policy as well.

"Some parts of the country still have declining or stable populations, while the South East is now reaching the limits of what can be sustained with its water resources," he said.

A Home Office spokesman said the points-based system allowed it to "raise or lower the bar" according to needs.

He added: "Our tough new Australian points system, plus our plans for newcomers to earn their citizenship, will reduce overall numbers of economic migrants coming to Britain, and the numbers awarded permanent settlement.

"Crucially, the points system means only the migrants with the skills Britain needs can come - and no more.

"Had the points-based system been in place last year, there would have been 12% fewer people coming in to work through the equivalent work permit route."

Story from BBC NEWS

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/u ... 677419.stm

Published: 2008/10/18 13:01:50 GMT

Immigration 'harming communities'

The committee said the government had to do more to address concerns
Rapid immigration has damaged community relations in parts of England, a report by the Commons communities and local government committee says.

In three areas with high immigration - Peterborough, Burnley, and Barking and Dagenham - community cohesion is among the lowest in the country, the MPs say.

The report said there was "significant public anxiety" over issues such as pressure on public services.

Ministers said action was being taken to minimise the impact of immigration.

'Flawed data'

In their report, Community Cohesion and Migration, the MPs say many migrants make "significant contributions" to local communities - working in the NHS or other public services.

But it said there was "significant public anxiety" in some areas about immigration, which it warned "cannot simply be dismissed as expressions of racist or xenophobic sentiments".

Some concerns arose from "practical concerns" - such as overcrowded accommodation and pressure on public services - such as sharp rises in the numbers of primary school children who do not speak English well.

We do think it is right that newcomers are asked to pay a little bit more for public services

Liam Byrne
Immigration minister

In the three areas visited, community cohesion - measured by how many people believe those from different backgrounds get along - is among the lowest in England, the report said.

It said public services were under pressure because government funding was being based on "flawed population data".

The committee criticised plans for a levy on migrants' normal visa fees to help fund public services like policing which it said were likely to generate "very little" money.

Press reports suggest it could be only £15m, something the committee says would be "a drop in the ocean".

'Additional pressures'

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "We do think it is right that newcomers are asked to pay a little bit more for public services.

"Actually we propose that the fund should raise tens of millions of pounds every year.

"This vital cash will allow us to channel money quickly to public services wherever there is a short term pressure from migration."

We're risking turning everything that migrants do into a problem and forgetting that they are dynamically contributing to the local economy

Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah
IPPR

But the committee said it might be unfair, as not all immigrants would pay into the fund. EU citizens and anyone moving within the UK would not have to pay.

Instead the government should "immediately establish a contingency fund capable of responding effectively to the additional pressures which may be put on local government services from migration".

'Negative conclusion'

The Local Government Association has repeatedly called for a £250m contingency fund to be made available for under-pressure councils.

But Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, of the Institute of Public Policy Research, said he was disappointed by the committee's "negative conclusion".

"We're risking turning everything that migrants do into a problem and forgetting that they are dynamically contributing to the local economy and to the country because they are working and paying taxes," he said.

He said only better population figures and a funding system that could respond quickly would "solve the challenges".

For the Conservatives, shadow minister Baroness Warsi said the report was an "indictment" of the problems caused by the government's "failure to control the numbers of migrants coming into this country" and by their "inability to know where migrants are living and to fund local authorities accordingly".

The Conservatives say it shows annual limits on economic migration are needed to ensure communities and public services can cope.

A spokesperson for the Department for Communities and Local Government said the government was already taking action to manage migration to "maximise the benefits and minimise the impacts".

These included a £50m "cohesion fund" to support councils and extra funding to help manage the "transitional impacts" of migration - such as £10m as for schools experiencing increases in pupil numbers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7508096.stm

You simply cannot have uncontrolled immigration........it becomes nothing more than country swapping. Or like many have said......like swarms of locusts, just comming to take and then moving on the next area. That leads to nothing but destruction, no matter what you call it.

..the MPs say many migrants make "significant contributions" to local communities - working in the NHS or other public services.

We hear the same lame excuse here as well. This is pure NWO rhetoric and propaganda!