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Brown rejects cap on immigration Brown rejects cap on immigration
(20 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has rejected suggestions that an annual limit is needed on the levels of immigration to the UK. Gordon Brown says immigration is good for the UK and has rejected suggestions that an annual limit is needed.
He said a new Australian-style points-based system, currently being introduced, will only allow highly skilled workers into the country.
The PM was responding to a report by a House of Lords committee saying record immigration had had "little or no" impact on people's economic well-being.The PM was responding to a report by a House of Lords committee saying record immigration had had "little or no" impact on people's economic well-being.
Mr Brown says the concerns raised are already being tackled by a new points based system that will only allow highly skilled workers into the UK
He said migration had added £6bn to the economy and was a "substantial income".He said migration had added £6bn to the economy and was a "substantial income".
Most British businesses who have faced labour shortages had benefited from being able to recruit more widely for skilled labour, he said.Most British businesses who have faced labour shortages had benefited from being able to recruit more widely for skilled labour, he said.
Citizenship fund
Speaking at his monthly news conference, he said the Australian-style points-based system would effectively "restrict the numbers of people who come into this country from outside Europe".
Most people who are proposing a cap are proposing a cap of only 20% of possible migrants into this country Gordon Brown
It would bar unskilled immigrants from outside the European Union, he said.
There would be a new citizenship fund, with people coming into the country being expected to contribute to the public services they use.
And there was more financial help for local authorities to enable them to deal with the influx.
Mr Brown conceded that it was important to get the balance right given "pressures on the economy".
But he said that gross domestic product per head had risen since 1997 from £13,900 to £22,840 in the last year.
'Balancing act'
"Most people in the City of London know they have benefited very substantially," he told reporters.
"Not just from the inward investment that's coming from international companies, but the number of key workers who are coming to join them and are making a huge contribution to the British economy.
"But we want to get the balance right between that and of course being sensible about the pressures on our economy."
Mr Brown said a cap on immigrants coming to the UK could only be applied to those outside the EU.
"Most people who are proposing a cap are proposing a cap of only 20% of possible migrants into this country," he said.
"And of course many of these people are the highly skilled workers who are important to the economy."