New Government figures have confirmed just how large has been the scale of immigration into the UK in recent years and show that that the vast majority who come to stay are from the third world.

An analysis of the latest immigration statistics from the Office of National Statistics by think-tank Migrationwatch shows that in the years 1991 – 2006 there was a net movement of some 2.3 million people to the UK - only 8% of which came from the new East European members of the EU.

‘As public concern has increased supporters of immigration have tried to give the impression that the majority come from the new EU member states and that, in time as their economies improve, they will return home – thus implying that public fears are groundless,’ said Sir Andrew Green, Migrationwatch chairman.

‘But the Government’s own figures show that this is far from the case. They also give the lie to those who claim that there is no point in immigration controls which do not apply to EU citizens,’ he said.

The figures show that over the years 1991 - 2006 there was a small group of countries to which more people emigrated from the UK than the number migrating from those countries to Britain. In total, the net movement of people to those countries was 422,000 of whom half went to Australia. 72,000 went to the 15 countries of the EU and smaller numbers left for the United States, NZ and Canada. (see bar chart)

All other countries listed, largely from the third world, were the source of more people moving to the UK than vice versa. In total, over the same period, these countries accounted for a net movement of 2.3 million people to the UK. Only 205,000, or 8%, came from the new East European members of the EU. 

Said Sir Andrew: ‘The reality is that those who come and stay are almost entirely from countries subject to immigration control. What we need therefore is effective control.  Unfortunately, the government’s much vaunted Points Based System is entirely open ended and simply fails to address the deep public concern on this issue.’

See the full press release

The BAPIO case was recently decided on final appeal to the House of Lords. It arose out of what can reasonably described as an attempt by the Department of Health to exercise authority in the field of immigration – an exercise which was found by their Lordships to be unlawful.

The Secretary of State for Health has a statutory responsibility to provide medical and related services under the auspices of the National Health Service, a responsibility which includes the power to recruit and employ doctors and other medical staff. In the exercise of that power the Secretary of State from time to time issues guidance to NHS Trusts, which the Trusts will normally follow.  In recent years it has been necessary in order to fill vacancies to recruit doctors who are not nationals of the UK or of any other Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA) and doctors in this category are known as international medical graduates (IMGs). The main source of IMGs has been the Indian subcontinent and doctors from there have their interests represented by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO).

See the full Briefing Paper 8.26