This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7928880.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
'Big rise' in illegal immigrants 'Big rise' in illegal immigrants
(about 6 hours later)
The UK is home to nearly three quarters of a million illegal immigrants, research obtained by the BBC's Panorama programme suggests. The UK could be home to almost three-quarters of a million illegal immigrants, a study for London Mayor Boris Johnson suggests.
A Home Office estimate in 2001 put the figure at 430,000.A Home Office estimate in 2001 put the figure at 430,000.
But a recent study commissioned for the Mayor of London estimated the number of illegal or "irregular" immigrants and their dependents to be 725,000 in 2007. But the study estimated the number of illegal or "irregular" immigrants and their dependents in 2007 to be 725,000.
The government said it would not comment on estimates, but said the UK border is one of the world's toughest. Mr Johnson said an amnesty for many would be "morally right", but the government warned it would become a "big pull factor" for more immigration.
'Hard argument'
The study into the economic impact of an amnesty for illegal immigrants was carried out by the London School of Economics (LSE).The study into the economic impact of an amnesty for illegal immigrants was carried out by the London School of Economics (LSE).
London is home to an estimated two thirds of illegal immigrants in the UK. It estimates that, if a minimum of five years' residence in the UK were needed to qualify, 450,000 illegal immigrants could be granted amnesty.
The mayor, Boris Johnson, raised the idea of an illegal immigrant amnesty - which would offer some of them the right to work officially and eventually gain full citizenship - during the 2008 mayoral election. Mr Johnson suggested an amnesty, which would offer some the right to work officially and eventually gain full citizenship, during the 2008 mayoral election.
'Regularise status' The proposal for an amnesty starts with a conversation in London with the best of intentions and it ends up with dead bodies in the back of lorries in northern France Phil Woolas, immigration minister
In Monday's episode, Panorama takes a closer look at the idea, speaking to politicians and employers, as well as illegal immigrants, to examine the pluses and minuses of such a plan. In an interview for Monday's Panorama on BBC One, he said: "If it does look as though they could make a contribution to society, we should regularise their status or offer them the chance of regularising their status."
The proposal for an amnesty starts with a conversation in London with the best of intentions and it ends up with dead bodies in the back of lorries in northern France Immigration Minister Phil Woolas He added: "There would be some very tough criteria. Obviously no criminal record would be one, an ability to support yourself and support your family, commitment to society and the most, the most important thing is they should have been here for a considerable period of time."
Speaking to Panorama, Mr Johnson said the government should be doing more to prevent illegal immigrants getting in, but that trying to return the hundreds of thousands already here is impractical and another solution is needed: Mr Johnson said it was a "hard political argument to win" but added: "If people are going to be here and we've chronically failed to kick them out it's morally right that they should contribute in their taxes to the rest of society."
"If it does look as though they could make a contribution to society, we should regularise their status or offer them the chance of regularising their status," he said.
"There would be some very tough criteria. Obviously no criminal record would be one, an ability to support yourself and support your family, commitment to society and the most, the most important thing is they should have been here for a considerable period of time."
'Chronic failure''Chronic failure'
The government is now tightening up border controls, introducing the "e-borders" system which counts people in and out of the country.The government is now tightening up border controls, introducing the "e-borders" system which counts people in and out of the country.
But at current rates of deportation, using the new LSE figure of 725,000, it would take 34 years and cost almost £9bn to clear the backlog of people who are currently in the UK illegally. But at current rates of deportation, using the LSE figure of 725,000, it would take 34 years and cost almost £9bn to clear the backlog of people who are currently in the UK illegally.
Some claim that an amnesty would lure other illegal immigrants to the UKSome claim that an amnesty would lure other illegal immigrants to the UK
But the idea of an amnesty is not supported by the Conservative Party or the government. The idea of an amnesty is not supported by the Conservatives or the government.
Immigration Minister Phil Woolas says that far from helping, an amnesty would just encourage more illegal immigrants to come. Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said such a scheme would encourage more illegal immigrants.
"What unfortunately would happen is that people traffickers and others would see that as a pull factor to get people to the United Kingdom illegally and we would end up with a bigger problem not just for our society, but for the people themselves involved," Mr Woolas told the programme. He said: "What unfortunately would happen is that people traffickers and others would see that as a pull factor to get people to the United Kingdom illegally and we would end up with a bigger problem not just for our society, but for the people themselves involved."
"The proposal for an amnesty starts with a conversation in London with the best of intentions and it ends up with dead bodies in the back of lorries in northern France," he added. He added: "The proposal for an amnesty starts with a conversation in London with the best of intentions and it ends up with dead bodies in the back of lorries in northern France.".
A UK Border Agency (UKBA) spokesperson said that it did not tolerate anyone who abused the system and that the UK had "one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way." The UK Border Agency (UKBA) said it did not tolerate anyone who abused the system and that the UK had "one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way".
'Hard political argument' A spokesperson added: "There is now triple ring of security that protects Britain: fingerprint visas, ID cards for foreign nationals that lock people to one identity and our hi-tech electronic border controls that check people against police, immigration and customs watch-lists and will cover even more passenger journeys by the end of this year.
The spokesperson added: "There is now triple ring of security that protects Britain: fingerprint visas, ID cards for foreign nationals that lock people to one identity and our high-tech electronic border controls that check people against police, immigration and customs watch-lists and will cover even more passenger journeys by the end of this year.
"We are also taking tough enforcement action. Since the UK Border Agency was launched in April 2008, UKBA staff have made over 4,900 arrests as a result of people encountered during illegal working operations and our tough new force at the border last year stopped over 28,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally.""We are also taking tough enforcement action. Since the UK Border Agency was launched in April 2008, UKBA staff have made over 4,900 arrests as a result of people encountered during illegal working operations and our tough new force at the border last year stopped over 28,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally."
Mr Johnson admits that it is a "hard political argument to win" but argues that we need to be practical, telling Panorama: "If people are going to be here and we've chronically failed to kick them out it's morally right that they should contribute in their taxes to the rest of society". Immigration - Time for an Amnesty? Panorama: 9 March 2008 on BBC One at 8.30pm.
The LSE report estimates that if a minimum of five years residence in the UK were needed to qualify for an amnesty, 450,000 people could qualify for such regularisation.
Immigration - Time for an Amnesty? 9 March 2008 on BBC One at 8.30pm.