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Tories set out immigration plans Cameron unveils immigration plan
(about 3 hours later)
The Tories are to set out their plans to control economic migration - the first time David Cameron will publicly tackle the issue since becoming leader. The Conservatives have set out their plans to control economic migration - David Cameron's first major statement on the issue since becoming leader.
He calls for a "calm and serious" approach in the foreword to the report by shadow home secretary David Davis and immigration spokesman Damien Green. In a change of tone on previous Tory statements, the party stresses possible economic benefits of migration.
The report will propose limiting access to those with in-demand skills. But Mr Cameron also says immigration levels must take into account the impact on public services, environment and on "community cohesion".
The party say it expects immigrant numbers to rise, so there must be adequate public services and housing. Immigration from outside the EU would be "significantly less", he says.
Mr Cameron's predecessor Michael Howard was criticised in the 2005 election campaign for focusing on immigration. The government has announced plans to bring in new rules for skilled foreign workers from outside the EU, as part of the move to a points-based system.
Last month Home Secretary John Reid announced new curbs on the rights of Bulgarians and Romanians to work in the UK, when their countries join the EU in January. Further immigration controls are expected to be announced in the Queen's Speech.
More controls expected The Conservatives have been reluctant to talk about the issue since last year's general election, as party strategists believe former leader Michael Howard's focus on the issue helped the party lose the poll.
He said the government's previous "open door" policy towards EU migrant workers had helped fill jobs but acknowledged there had been an impact on some schools and councils. 'Clear limits'
Britain benefits economically from immigration, but not all or any immigration David Cameron But opinion polls suggest the issue continues to be a key one for voters.
Further immigration controls are expected to be announced in the Queen's Speech next week. Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, unlike Labour, the Conservatives would set an annual limit on economic migration.
Mr Cameron says immigration was an important issue which deserved serious treatment and would benefit from a political consensus. "We would consult all those who are involved in providing public services, and obviously we'd consult industry, so we would get a figure which we think Britain could comfortably absorb every year, of those who are going to be economically beneficial, and we would set that limit.
"Controlling Economic Migration", written by shadow home secretary David Davis and immigration spokesman Damien Green, is to be published later. "This specifically doesn't apply to asylum-seekers, to those who are coming for family reunion, because we think those, those are separate issues that we'll deal with in the future.
In the foreword Mr Cameron writes: "Britain benefits economically from immigration, but not all or any immigration". "But in this, this field of economic migrants, we will need to limit, we're absolutely clear about that," he said.
Limits should not just reflect economic factors, but also wider effects on the environment, public services and job competitiveness, he says. 'Benefits'
Mr Green sets out the party's proposals in a pamphlet written with his boss, shadow home secretary David Davis.
In his first major statement on the subject since becoming leader, David Cameron says immigration is an important issue which deserved serious treatment and would benefit from a political consensus.
In the foreword to the party's pamphlet, "Controlling Economic Migration," the Tory leader writes: "Britain benefits economically from immigration, but not all or any immigration."
Limits should not just reflect economic factors, but also wider impacts on the environment, public services and job competitiveness, he says.
"These effects include the ability of the public services and infrastructure to cope with new arrivals at both national and local levels, the environmental impact of a rapidly rising population and the potential effects on community cohesion," he says."These effects include the ability of the public services and infrastructure to cope with new arrivals at both national and local levels, the environmental impact of a rapidly rising population and the potential effects on community cohesion," he says.
Border force
He says exact limits would be determined after annual consultation with groups like local councils.He says exact limits would be determined after annual consultation with groups like local councils.
But he says he would expect it to be "significantly less" than current immigration levels from outside the EU.But he says he would expect it to be "significantly less" than current immigration levels from outside the EU.
Conservative proposals include separating asylum policy from economic migration policy and a border force to enforce policy and deal with over-stayers and illegal workers.Conservative proposals include separating asylum policy from economic migration policy and a border force to enforce policy and deal with over-stayers and illegal workers.