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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brown rejects cap on immigration | Brown rejects cap on immigration |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown says immigration is good for the UK and has rejected suggestions that an annual limit is needed. | Gordon Brown says immigration is good for the UK and has rejected suggestions that an annual limit is needed. |
| 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 said the concerns raised were being tackled by a new points-based system that will allow only 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 | 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". | 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 PM urges curry house trainingIn quotes: Migration reaction | Most people who are proposing a cap are proposing a cap of only 20% of possible migrants into this country Gordon Brown PM urges curry house trainingIn quotes: Migration reaction |
| It would bar unskilled immigrants from outside the European Union, he said. | 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. | 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. | 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". | 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. | But he said that gross domestic product per head had risen since 1997 from £13,900 to £22,840 in the last year. |
| FOREIGN WORKERS IN UK 2005 Home Office worker registration scheme - 194,953UK work permits - 86,191EU and EFTA* - 35,200Working holidaymakers - 20,135Highly skilled migrant programme - 17,631Seasonal agricultural workers scheme - 15,455Domestic servants - 10,100UK ancestry - 8,260Sector based schemes - 7,401Au pairs - 2,360Science and engineering graduates scheme - 2,699Ministers of religion - 530Total - 400,915 Excludes students; *EFTA - European Free Trade Association | FOREIGN WORKERS IN UK 2005 Home Office worker registration scheme - 194,953UK work permits - 86,191EU and EFTA* - 35,200Working holidaymakers - 20,135Highly skilled migrant programme - 17,631Seasonal agricultural workers scheme - 15,455Domestic servants - 10,100UK ancestry - 8,260Sector based schemes - 7,401Au pairs - 2,360Science and engineering graduates scheme - 2,699Ministers of religion - 530Total - 400,915 Excludes students; *EFTA - European Free Trade Association |
| "Most people in the City of London know they have benefited very substantially," he told reporters. | "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. | "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." | "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. | 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. | "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." | "And of course many of these people are the highly skilled workers who are important to the economy." |
| Limits | Limits |
| Mr Brown's comments follow a report by the Lords Economic Affairs Committee which says competition from immigrants had had a negative impact on the low paid, on training for young UK workers, and had contributed to high house prices. | Mr Brown's comments follow a report by the Lords Economic Affairs Committee which says competition from immigrants had had a negative impact on the low paid, on training for young UK workers, and had contributed to high house prices. |
| The peers called for a cap on immigration levels, saying the government "should have an explicit target range" and set rules to keep within that limit. | The peers called for a cap on immigration levels, saying the government "should have an explicit target range" and set rules to keep within that limit. |
| They raised the prospect of cutting the rights of people to follow relatives who have settled in the UK. | They raised the prospect of cutting the rights of people to follow relatives who have settled in the UK. |
| 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 | 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 |
| And they rejected claims by ministers that a high level of immigration was needed to prevent labour shortages as "fundamentally flawed". | And they rejected claims by ministers that a high level of immigration was needed to prevent labour shortages as "fundamentally flawed". |
| They also warned that the points-based system carried a "clear danger of inconsistencies and overlap". | They also warned that the points-based system carried a "clear danger of inconsistencies and overlap". |
| The committee, whose members include two ex-chancellors and other Cabinet members, took eight months to consider government immigration policies. | The committee, whose members include two ex-chancellors and other Cabinet members, took eight months to consider government immigration policies. |
| 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." |
| 'Lost track' | 'Lost track' |
| 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". |
| The report claims that if net immigration of 190,000 people per year continued over the next 20 years, it would contribute to a 10% increase in house prices. | The report claims that if net immigration of 190,000 people per year continued over the next 20 years, it would contribute to a 10% increase in house prices. |
| 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". | 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". |
| 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". |
| UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said: "The fact still remains that all three parties voted for an enlarged EU and open borders with half a billion people living in the EU." | UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said: "The fact still remains that all three parties voted for an enlarged EU and open borders with half a billion people living in the EU." |
| Sir Andrew Green of pressure group Migration Watch, said the report had "torn to shreds the government's economic case for the massive levels of immigration which they have actively encouraged". | Sir Andrew Green of pressure group Migration Watch, said the report had "torn to shreds the government's economic case for the massive levels of immigration which they have actively encouraged". |