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Hain sorry for migration 'error' Smith 'sorry' for migrants error
(about 1 hour later)
Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has apologised after the government admitted 300,000 more immigrants were working in the UK than it first said. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has apologised after it emerged that government figures on foreign workers were underestimated by 300,000.
New figures show that the number of foreign nationals employed in the UK since 1997 is 1.1m, not the 800,000 officially recorded. She admitted it was "bad" that the wrong figures were given out on foreign nationals since 1997, but said 2.7m new jobs had been created under Labour.
Mr Hain has written to his Tory shadow Chris Grayling to admit that incorrect figures were given in Commons answers. The number of foreign workers in the UK since 1997 is now thought to be 1.1m, not the 800,000 officially recorded.
Mr Grayling said the admission was "an extraordinary development". For the Tories, Chris Grayling said it was an "extraordinary development".
It comes as the government is expected to extend controls on the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers coming to the UK. Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has written to his Tory and Lib Dem counterparts to apologise and admit that incorrect figures were given in Commons answers. He said the new figures were the "most robust estimate available".
'Good faith''Good faith'
The extra 300,000 was found after analysis of the Labour Force Survey, which is compiled by the Office for National Statistics, showed 8% of the UK's 29.1m workforce was foreign.The extra 300,000 was found after analysis of the Labour Force Survey, which is compiled by the Office for National Statistics, showed 8% of the UK's 29.1m workforce was foreign.
The revised figures relate to new jobs that have been created over the last 10 years.The revised figures relate to new jobs that have been created over the last 10 years.
I apologise for having to make this revision Peter Hain href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7067126.stm">Analysis: The big issues class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7057765.stm">Population 'to hit 65m' class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7067500.stm">In full: Cameron speech Of course it is bad that these figures are wrong and ministers have apologised for that, I am sorry about that Jacqui Smith Population 'to hit 65m'
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stressed that ministers had used the earlier 800,000 estimate "in good faith".The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stressed that ministers had used the earlier 800,000 estimate "in good faith".
In his letter to Mr Grayling, Mr Hain said: "It was stated that the increase in the number of foreign nationals in employment since 1997 was 0.8 million. It said the change would affect previous government responses on how many of the 2.7m jobs created since Labour came to power in 1997 have gone to British workers.
"Following careful analysis of the information in the Labour Force Survey, this figure has been revised upwards by 0.3 million. It had been said 2m had gone to British workers, but the government has admitted that was now "not technically accurate".
"This revised analysis shows that there are, in total, an extra 1.1 million foreign nationals in employment in the UK since 1997." Points-based system
"I apologise for having to make this revision," Mr Hain said, stressing that the new figure was the most "robust estimate available". Ms Smith told the BBC: "Of course it is bad that these figures are wrong and ministers have apologised for that, I am sorry about that.
He said the change would affect previous government responses on how many of the 2.7m jobs created since Labour came to power in 1997 have gone to British workers. "But the important point is that actually there are 2.7 million more jobs in this country than there were in 1997.
"I previously stated that two million of these jobs have gone to British workers," he said. "That's more jobs, yes, that have been filled by those that have come from abroad, but many more jobs that have been filled by UK nationals, and vacancies still out there for UK nationals."
"However, we have subsequently discovered that it is not technically accurate to make this comparison." Ministers do not know where foreign national workers are from
Mr Grayling said the admission called "into question the competence of ministers and of the government as a whole". She added that a points-based system for migrant workers would be introduced next year, to ensure "stronger control" over those coming to the UK.
The government is also expected to extend controls on the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers coming to the UK. Previously it had adopted an "open door policy" towards Eastern European migrants.
Mr Grayling said the government's admission called "into question the competence of ministers and of the government as a whole".
Credibility 'undermined'
Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman Danny Alexander said: "Getting these figures so wrong further undermines the credibility of the government's claims to be able to deliver a well-managed system for foreign workers."Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman Danny Alexander said: "Getting these figures so wrong further undermines the credibility of the government's claims to be able to deliver a well-managed system for foreign workers."
'Frustrating'
A DWP spokesman said just under half the 1.1m foreign workers were EU nationals, while the remainder came from non-EU and Commonwealth countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.A DWP spokesman said just under half the 1.1m foreign workers were EU nationals, while the remainder came from non-EU and Commonwealth countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
The revised figures only emerged after Tory shadow work and pensions minister James Clappison submitted a series of written parliamentary questions.The revised figures only emerged after Tory shadow work and pensions minister James Clappison submitted a series of written parliamentary questions.
We just cannot take in 10 million people Sir Andrew Green, Migration Watch
The employment minister, Caroline Flint, said some groups had been left out of the figures by mistake.The employment minister, Caroline Flint, said some groups had been left out of the figures by mistake.
What we have to consider is our quality of life and even more important is our cohesion as a community and we just cannot take in 10 million people Sir Andrew Green, Migration Watch
"That would include, for example, foreign nationals who are married to British people in this country, and also it included those foreign nationals who were not in employment pre-'97 who then subsequently went into employment."That would include, for example, foreign nationals who are married to British people in this country, and also it included those foreign nationals who were not in employment pre-'97 who then subsequently went into employment.
"When we added that together we got an extra 300,000." Sir Andrew Green, chairman of campaign group Migration Watch, said a fixed limit on immigration numbers was now essential, amid projections of a sharp rise in Britain's population.
Mrs Flint added that she did not think the number of foreign workers in the UK was too high.
"We have record numbers of employment, they represent about 8% of the labour market statistics and they bring £6 billion to the economy."
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of campaign group Migration Watch, said a fixed limit on immigration numbers was now essential, particularly in light of a recent report predicting a sharp rise in Britain's population over the next few decades.
"Ten million projected in the next 25 years, 10 times the population of Birmingham - I mean, it's frankly ridiculous," he said."Ten million projected in the next 25 years, 10 times the population of Birmingham - I mean, it's frankly ridiculous," he said.
"Arguments about the labour market and so on are completely secondary. What we have to consider is our quality of life and even more important our cohesion as a community and we just cannot take in 10 million people.""Arguments about the labour market and so on are completely secondary. What we have to consider is our quality of life and even more important our cohesion as a community and we just cannot take in 10 million people."
Counting in and out
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne told the BBC: "It's always frustrating when new information like this emerges.
"But it underlines the point that it was a mistake to remove exit controls and why we urgently need new systems in place to count people in and count people out of the country.
"And for those foreign nationals who are here we need to make sure they have ID cards so we know who they are."
Labour MP Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home Affairs Select committee, said it was "astonishing" that such a mistake had been made when governments are expected to "give accurate figures to the public especially in a very tough and emotive area such as immigration".Labour MP Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home Affairs Select committee, said it was "astonishing" that such a mistake had been made when governments are expected to "give accurate figures to the public especially in a very tough and emotive area such as immigration".
"And I don't think it's enough for ministers to shrug their shoulders as Liam Byrne appears to be doing, and saying 'we got it wrong and we'll make sure it doesn't happen again'."
He called on the government to ensure that the figures were accurate in future.He called on the government to ensure that the figures were accurate in future.