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| Immigration 'small benefit' to UK | Immigration 'small benefit' to UK |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Record levels of immigration have had "little or no impact" on the economic well-being of Britons, an influential House of Lords committee has said. | Record levels of immigration have had "little or no impact" on the economic well-being of Britons, an influential House of Lords committee has said. |
| Instead, competition from immigrants has had a negative impact on the low paid, training for young UK workers and has contributed to high house prices. | Instead, competition from immigrants has had a negative impact on the low paid, training for young UK workers and has contributed to high house prices. |
| The peers, including two ex-chancellors and other Cabinet members, say there should be a cap on immigration levels. | The peers, including two ex-chancellors and other Cabinet members, say there should be a cap on immigration levels. |
| Ministers oppose an annual cap. The Conservatives say they back a limit. | Ministers oppose an annual cap. The Conservatives say they back a limit. |
| In their report, "The Economic Impact of Immigration", the peers said the government "should have an explicit target range" for immigration and set rules to keep within that limit. | In their report, "The Economic Impact of Immigration", the peers said the government "should have an explicit target range" for immigration and set rules to keep within that limit. |
| 'Inconsistencies' | 'Inconsistencies' |
| It suggested that the rights of people to follow relatives who have settled in the UK "could be modified if the government chose to do so". | It suggested that the rights of people to follow relatives who have settled in the UK "could be modified if the government chose to do so". |
| And it rejected claims by ministers that a high level of immigration was needed to prevent labour shortages as "fundamentally flawed". | And it rejected claims by ministers that a high level of immigration was needed to prevent labour shortages as "fundamentally flawed". |
| If you have got that increase in numbers and you haven't got any economic benefit from it, you have got to ask yourself, is that a wise thing to do? Lord Wakeham, inquiry chairman | If you have got that increase in numbers and you haven't got any economic benefit from it, you have got to ask yourself, is that a wise thing to do? Lord Wakeham, inquiry chairman |
| The peers also warned that the government's new points-based immigration system carried a "clear danger of inconsistencies and overlap". | The peers also warned that the government's new points-based immigration system carried a "clear danger of inconsistencies and overlap". |
| Inquiry chairman Lord Wakeham said: "Looking to the future, if you have got that increase in numbers and you haven't got any economic benefit from it, you have got to ask yourself, is that a wise thing to do? | Inquiry chairman Lord Wakeham said: "Looking to the future, if you have got that increase in numbers and you haven't got any economic benefit from it, you have got to ask yourself, is that a wise thing to do? |
| "That is why we want the government to look at it." | "That is why we want the government to look at it." |
| House price rises | House price rises |
| Committee chairman Lord Vallance of Tummel, a former CBI president, said the government's analysis of the economic impact from immigration was "very shaky". | Committee chairman Lord Vallance of Tummel, a former CBI president, said the government's analysis of the economic impact from immigration was "very shaky". |
| They show unequivocally that the benefits of the current immigration policy to ordinary UK citizens are largely non-existent David Davis, shadow home secretary | They show unequivocally that the benefits of the current immigration policy to ordinary UK citizens are largely non-existent David Davis, shadow home secretary |
| The peers' report said: "The available evidence suggests that immigration has had a small negative impact on the lowest-paid workers in the UK and a small positive impact on the earnings of higher-paid workers." | The peers' report said: "The available evidence suggests that immigration has had a small negative impact on the lowest-paid workers in the UK and a small positive impact on the earnings of higher-paid workers." |
| It added there was a "clear danger" immigration had hit training and apprenticeships offered to British workers, and had contributed towards demand for housing and high house prices. | It added there was a "clear danger" immigration had hit training and apprenticeships offered to British workers, and had contributed towards demand for housing and high house prices. |
| Of the government's new points-based system, which breaks immigration into five new tiers based largely on earning power, the report says: "It is not clear whether the new system will in fact constitute the radical overhaul of the UK's immigration system suggested by the government." | Of the government's new points-based system, which breaks immigration into five new tiers based largely on earning power, the report says: "It is not clear whether the new system will in fact constitute the radical overhaul of the UK's immigration system suggested by the government." |
| 'Torn to shreds' | 'Torn to shreds' |
| The use of GDP as the measure of immigration's economic contribution was "irrelevant and misleading". | The use of GDP as the measure of immigration's economic contribution was "irrelevant and misleading". |
| Instead, GDP per capita - or income per head of the population - would be a better measure, the report said. | Instead, GDP per capita - or income per head of the population - would be a better measure, the report said. |
| "Our general conclusion is that the economic benefits of positive net immigration are small or insignificant," it said. | "Our general conclusion is that the economic benefits of positive net immigration are small or insignificant," it said. |
| To say that there is no evidence of the economic benefits of migration is simplistic and misleading Dr Danny SriskandarajaInstitute for Public Policy Research | To say that there is no evidence of the economic benefits of migration is simplistic and misleading Dr Danny SriskandarajaInstitute for Public Policy Research |
| Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the report was "a welcome contribution to our huge immigration shake-up". | Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the report was "a welcome contribution to our huge immigration shake-up". |
| He said it proved the government was right to set up a committee to advise which workers the new points system should let in or keep out and he said a new UK border agency would give Britain "one of the toughest border protection systems in the world". | He said it proved the government was right to set up a committee to advise which workers the new points system should let in or keep out and he said a new UK border agency would give Britain "one of the toughest border protection systems in the world". |
| But Sir Andrew Green, of pressure group Migrationwatch, said the report had "torn to shreds the government's economic case for the massive levels of immigration which they have actively encouraged". | But Sir Andrew Green, of pressure group Migrationwatch, said the report had "torn to shreds the government's economic case for the massive levels of immigration which they have actively encouraged". |
| 'Lost track' | 'Lost track' |
| And shadow home secretary David Davis said the peers had shown "unequivocally that the benefits of the current immigration policy to ordinary UK citizens are largely non-existent". | And shadow home secretary David Davis said the peers had shown "unequivocally that the benefits of the current immigration policy to ordinary UK citizens are largely non-existent". |
| HAVE YOUR SAYImmigrants should be allowed entry only if they have a highly skilled talent that is in short demand in this countryPeter CarstairsSend us your comments | |
| "We are delighted they say there should be an explicit target range for immigration through controls on non-EU applicants," he said. | "We are delighted they say there should be an explicit target range for immigration through controls on non-EU applicants," he said. |
| "This is a policy that we have been arguing for, for years and which the government has consistently rejected." | "This is a policy that we have been arguing for, for years and which the government has consistently rejected." |
| Chris Huhne, the Lib Dems home affairs spokesman, said the report made clear that "the government has completely lost track of the number of people who live in this country. | Chris Huhne, the Lib Dems home affairs spokesman, said the report made clear that "the government has completely lost track of the number of people who live in this country. |
| "No wonder there is a total inability to manage immigration or create policies that deal with its effects." | "No wonder there is a total inability to manage immigration or create policies that deal with its effects." |
| But Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, head of migration at the Institute for Public Policy Research, said that to say there were no economic benefits was "simplistic and misleading". | But Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, head of migration at the Institute for Public Policy Research, said that to say there were no economic benefits was "simplistic and misleading". |
| "Recent immigration has brought immense benefits to the UK in terms of economic growth, increased competitiveness and the delivery of public services," he said. | "Recent immigration has brought immense benefits to the UK in terms of economic growth, increased competitiveness and the delivery of public services," he said. |
| Supermarket chain Sainsburys was among those to praise foreign workers in evidence to the committee. it said it had found foreign-born workers to be highly motivated with a strong work ethic which rubbed off on the British-born staff. | Supermarket chain Sainsburys was among those to praise foreign workers in evidence to the committee. it said it had found foreign-born workers to be highly motivated with a strong work ethic which rubbed off on the British-born staff. |