Migration: a major political challenge
Posted by Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow, at 08:51, Tue 16 September 2008:
Below is my article for this week's Shropshire Star:
One of the most troublesome issues affecting mankind across the globe is mankind itself. Or more particularly the rate of population growth and where growing populations can live sustainably, given increasing pressures on water and natural resources.
Some countries, notably China, have addressed this with draconian policies to limit population growth and inward migration. Others have had much more liberal immigration policies as they sought to develop their economies.
Our country has been one of the most liberal, particularly since 1997.
Gordon Brown has repeatedly claimed credit for 'creating 3 million new jobs' in Britain since 1997. But the Statistics Commission has disclosed that 68% of these were filled by immigrants, and when jobs for pensioners are taken out, immigrants have taken 82% of the increase in new jobs. The Spectator claimed last week that there were only 300,000 more UK-born working-aged people in employment in June 2007 than in June 1997. Last week a cross-party group of MPs, led by Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, endorsed a report which claimed a lack of economic benefit from immigration but a lasting social legacy stemming from cheap foreign labour. They highlighted the lack of succes of this government in training those on welfare to undertake these new jobs.
A much clearer migration policy is needed to ensure that the open door policy of the past 11 years is much more restrictive and clearly targetted. We need to maintain a tolerant society to offer sanctuary to those genuinely being persecuted, and our economy also needs some migrant workers to fill skills gaps. But our priority should be to get those already here trained and motivated to do these jobs.
An annual limit should be placed on all non-EU citizens seeking to come to live and work here. The Government are now talking about adopting such a policy, proposed by Conservatives over recent years.
It is important for any Government to face up to the challenges posed by the potential for massive population shifts over the years to come. Not all will be inward to this country: increasing numbers of young British families have chosen to make their lives abroad. But without a thorough understanding of the implications of these shifts, we risk storing up even greater problems.
Regards
Philip
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Posted by Matthew Genner, 11:29, Wed 17 September 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to respond to me about the Darzi review, outlining where you agree and where you differ in comparison to the government’s position.
With regards to your article for the Shropshire Star, which you have posted here, I was wondering if you could add some detail to your plans. Could you let people know how many people from outside the EU apply for immigration compared to those who migrate here from within the EU and how many are currently successful? Then could you give an approximation of how many of these people would not be allowed into the country under any new rules which you would bring in and how you would make the selection?
The current plan proposed by Frank Field and Nicholas Soames to send many people who immigrate to the UK back to their country of origin after four years seems to be short sighted and counterproductive. Do you not think that it will decrease levels of integration? Families will have to remove children from schools where they have settled to be replaced by new children who have not. Businesses who have invested in training staff will then lose them and find them replaced with new employees who need training again. Immigrants who have taken the time to learn English to a high standard will be sent home and replaced by those who may have trouble communicating. And overall there will be less incentive for immigrants to invest time, money and effort in their new communities.
Finally, you say that ‘our priority should be to get those already here trained and motivated to do these jobs.’ How would you like to see this done?
The Mirrlees Review [http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications.php?publication_id=4188] of the British tax system, published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies earlier this year, showed how the tax credit and benefit system could be altered ‘to strengthen work incentives for people on low incomes, to increase simplicity and certainty for families, and to reduce fraud and administration costs to the taxpayer.’
Would you agree wit the review and do you think that an increase in the minimum wage and decrease in taxation for those moving from benefits to low paid jobs would help?