This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7574061.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Migration to the UK falls sharply | Migration to the UK falls sharply |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| The number of Eastern European migrants coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since EU expansion in 2004, Home Office figures show. | The number of Eastern European migrants coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since EU expansion in 2004, Home Office figures show. |
| Between April and June 2008 there were 40,000 applications - a drop of 14,000 from the same period in 2007. | Between April and June 2008 there were 40,000 applications - a drop of 14,000 from the same period in 2007. |
| Figures also show that in the first six months of 2008, 32,230 "immigrant offenders" were removed from the UK, along with 2,500 foreign prisoners. | |
| The immigration minister said Britain's borders were "stronger than ever". | The immigration minister said Britain's borders were "stronger than ever". |
| Liam Byrne said asylum applications were "at an historic low and an immigration offender removed every eight minutes". | Liam Byrne said asylum applications were "at an historic low and an immigration offender removed every eight minutes". |
| "Foreign lawbreakers are being removed from Britain at record levels with more than 2,500 deported so far this year," he said. | "Foreign lawbreakers are being removed from Britain at record levels with more than 2,500 deported so far this year," he said. |
| "I have made it repeatedly clear that people who come here must earn the right to stay, work hard and play by the rules." | "I have made it repeatedly clear that people who come here must earn the right to stay, work hard and play by the rules." |
| Removals target | |
| Statistics show the number of immigration offenders removed in the first six months of this year was up 6% on the same period last year. | |
| In addition, the number of foreign prisoners deported from the UK at the end of their sentences increased by 23%. | |
| The Home Office said this proved it was on course to meet its target of at least 5,000 prisoners removed by the end of the year. | |
| Eight countries joined the EU in 2004, including Poland and the Czech Republic. | |
| Applications from those countries for the Worker Registration Scheme fell by 9,000 in the second quarter of this year compared to the first. | |
| The number of applications from Bulgarians and Romanians - countries which joined the EU in 2007 - have also dropped to 7,005, compared to 10,860 in the same period last year. |