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MPs 'to call for cap on migrants' Minister rejects migrant cap plan
(about 19 hours later)
A new cross-party parliamentary group on immigration will call for a cap on the number of foreign workers allowed to settle in Britain, reports say. A government minister has cast doubt on allowing a cap on the number of foreign workers allowed to settle in Britain.
The Sunday Express and Sunday Times newspapers say Labour rebel Frank Field has teamed up with Tory MP Nicholas Soames to demand tough new limits. Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said a new points system based on skills and labour shortages was a better policy.
He was responding to speculation that a report by a cross-party group of MPs will call for a limit on the number of non-EU workers settling in the UK.
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said a cap would be "divisive and wasteful of talent".The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said a cap would be "divisive and wasteful of talent".
The Home Office said migration was "good for the economy". The Sunday Express and Sunday Times newspapers say Labour rebel Frank Field has teamed up with Tory MP Nicholas Soames to demand tough new limits.
A spokesman said plans for a "tough Australian-style points system" for new arrivals to be introduced in the UK will mean "only those Britain needs and no more can come here".
"And it's flexible - allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and the country as a whole," he added.
Four years
A cap on the number of non-European Union workers allowed to settle permanently in the UK is expected to be the centrepiece of a report being published on Monday by the new group.A cap on the number of non-European Union workers allowed to settle permanently in the UK is expected to be the centrepiece of a report being published on Monday by the new group.
The newspapers say it will claim immigration is putting services such as schools, transport and the NHS under enormous strain. Denying migrants a stake in society isn't a route to social cohesion Habib RahmanJoint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants The newspapers say it will claim immigration is putting services such as schools, transport and the NHS under enormous strain. We want to reduce the pressure on our public services which has been caused by the uncontrolled immigration levels of recent years Dominic Grieve Shadow home secretary
And it is expected to cite official figures suggesting Britain will need to build seven new cities the size of Birmingham to house an estimated seven million newcomers by 2031.And it is expected to cite official figures suggesting Britain will need to build seven new cities the size of Birmingham to house an estimated seven million newcomers by 2031.
The Sunday Express says the parliamentary group will also argue that those who are given working visas "should be sent home again after four years unless they can prove they are highly skilled workers or gifted scientists who will benefit our economy".The Sunday Express says the parliamentary group will also argue that those who are given working visas "should be sent home again after four years unless they can prove they are highly skilled workers or gifted scientists who will benefit our economy".
Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: "We have made our own proposals to set an annual limit on economic immigration, because we want to reduce the pressure on our public services which has been caused by the uncontrolled immigration levels of recent years."
'Vital skills'
But Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said that caps and quotas were not the answer.
"Our tough new points system plus our plans for newcomers to earn their citizenship will reduce overall numbers of economic migrants coming to Britain, and the numbers awarded permanent settlement," he said.
Unlike made-up quotas, he said, the points system will mean the government is not depriving British businesses from benefiting from vital skills it needs. Denying migrants a stake in society isn't a route to social cohesion - it's divisive Habib RahmanJoint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
The Home Office said migration was "good for the economy".
A spokesman said plans for a "tough Australian-style points system" for new arrivals to be introduced in the UK will mean "only those Britain needs and no more can come here".
"And it's flexible - allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and the country as a whole," he added.
Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said the proposals ignored the positive contribution which migrants make to life in the UK.Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said the proposals ignored the positive contribution which migrants make to life in the UK.
"As well as much-needed skilled workers, many come and do unskilled jobs that need to be done, but for which employers are unable to find home-grown workers," he said."As well as much-needed skilled workers, many come and do unskilled jobs that need to be done, but for which employers are unable to find home-grown workers," he said.
"And if skilled migrants stay on after four years it's because an employer wants them and because they have put down roots and are paying their taxes, national insurance and council tax. So why shouldn't they benefit from the public services they have helped to pay for? Those that stay on are wanted by employers and they pay their taxes, he added.
"Many of the health professionals in the NHS are from non-European Economic Area countries, and it couldn't work without them.
"Denying migrants a stake in society isn't a route to social cohesion - it's divisive and wasteful of talent.""Denying migrants a stake in society isn't a route to social cohesion - it's divisive and wasteful of talent."
Labour MP Mr Field led the backbench rebellion over the 10p tax rate earlier this year.Labour MP Mr Field led the backbench rebellion over the 10p tax rate earlier this year.
Mid-Sussex MP Mr Soames, a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, served as Armed Forces minister from 1994 to 1997.Mid-Sussex MP Mr Soames, a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, served as Armed Forces minister from 1994 to 1997.