'UK immigration is under control', says Woolas
August 28 2009 by Mark Johnstone
Phil woolas on UK immigration
Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas is on record saying that immigration is “under control” after the latest UK immigration statistics published yesterday.
The figures, published by the Home Office, show that in 2008 and quarterly figures for April to June 2009, the number of migrants has fallen.
UK work visa applications from Eastern Europe are down by 43% in comparison to the same period in 2008. This statistic includes the number of applications from the eight accession countries of Czech republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Poland, Latvia, Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) published figures that show net-migration fell to 118,000 in 2008, from 209,000 in 2007, the lowest since the eight accession countries joined the European Union in 2004.
There was also a fall in the number of migrants removed or voluntarily departed from the UK. The figure includes 2,550 overseas prisoners. Statistics also confirm that 67,980 people were removed or voluntarily departed last year.
The number of people who made the move to the UK seeking asylum changed little over the last year. Applications for asylum in the second quarter of 2009 were 6,045 compared with 5,830 in quarter two in 2008. The Home Office is now finalising 60% of new asylum cases within six months.
Minister Phil Woolas, quoted on the UK Border Agency website, said:
'The fall in net-migration is further proof that migrants come to the UK for short periods of time, work, contribute to the economy and then return home. Our new flexible points based system gives us greater control on those coming to work or study from outside Europe, ensuring that only those that Britain need can come.
'Britain's borders are stronger than ever before. Our border controls in northern France are stopping record numbers of migrants reaching our shores - 28,000 in 2008.
'We are rolling out ID cards to foreign nationals, we have introduced civil penalties for those employing illegal workers and from the end of next year our electronic border system will monitor 95 per cent of journeys in and out of the UK.
'The British people can be confident that immigration is under control.'
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