Emigration decline could lead to 'drastic measures' on immigration

Matt Cavanagh, IPPR Associate Director, said:

"Today's figures confirm that net migration continued to rise in the year ending September 2010 - up 7 per cent on the most recent figures for the year ending June 2010.

"It is time the government admitted that setting a target for 'net migration' makes little sense, and can't be achieved without damaging Britain's economy.

"When they set the target in opposition, the Conservatives clearly hadn't planned for emigration continuing to fall. Today's figures show that emigration of British nationals is down by more than 25 per cent since 2008.

"This means the government will have to take even more drastic measures to try to meet their chosen target.

"They can't control immigration from the EU. Today's figures show net migration from Eastern Europe up over 50,000 from last year. They will find it difficult to reduce family immigration. So they will have to tighten up even further on students or skilled workers coming from outside the EU - the most valuable kinds of immigration for our economy."

Contact

Richard Darlington: 07525 481 602 / r.darlington@ippr.org

Tim Finch: 07595 920 899 / t.finch@ippr.org