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Calls for migrants English debate Migrants 'should learn English'
(1 day later)
People who are seeking to come to the UK to work or to join a spouse already living here should be required to learn English, an expert body says.People who are seeking to come to the UK to work or to join a spouse already living here should be required to learn English, an expert body says.
The Commission on Integration and Cohesion says language is the single largest barrier to community relations.The Commission on Integration and Cohesion says language is the single largest barrier to community relations.
The government set up the body to review how well the UK was integrating people from diverse backgrounds. Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly launched its report, saying far-right groups which spread "myths" about the multi-racial UK must also be tackled.
In its interim report, the commission said it would advise councils when to stop offering translation services. Critics say the English language proposals are "impractical".
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly set up the Commission last summer amid pressure over multiculturalism and claims that not enough had been done to tackle issues raised by the July 2005 London bombings. Ms Kelly set up the commission last summer amid pressure over multiculturalism and claims that not enough had been done to tackle issues raised by the July 2005 London bombings.
If you can't speak English, you are on a path to isolation and separation Commission chair Darra Singh The commission was asked to come up with policies to help make an increasingly diverse society more cohesive. If you can't speak English, you are on a path to isolation and separation Commission chair Darra Singh class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6383221.stm">The English challenge The commission was asked to come up with policies to help make an increasingly diverse society more cohesive.
In its interim report, the commission asks whether enough is being done to ensure that the correct first steps are taken to integrate two key groups into British society: foreign migrant workers and spouses.In its interim report, the commission asks whether enough is being done to ensure that the correct first steps are taken to integrate two key groups into British society: foreign migrant workers and spouses.
If people do not speak any English on coming to the UK, the commission says ministers should consider changing immigration rules to ensure they have some command of the language before being allowed to come as a worker or through marriage.If people do not speak any English on coming to the UK, the commission says ministers should consider changing immigration rules to ensure they have some command of the language before being allowed to come as a worker or through marriage.
'Translation no substitute' Commission chairman Darra Singh said: "Learning English is clearly the responsibility of the individual, but local authorities, central government and employers have a key role in supporting migrants to improve their language skills."
Darra Singh, chairman of the commission, said: "Learning English is clearly the responsibility of the individual, but local authorities, central government and employers have a key role in supporting migrants to improve their language skills." INTEGRATION COMMISSION: KEY AIMS Examine why tension growsHelp politicians break down barriersStudy how communities tackle extremismResearch strong and successful communities class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6172805.stm">The cost in translation class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5280244.stm">The UK's ties that bind
INTEGRATION COMMISSION: KEY AIMS Examine why tension growsHelp politicians break down barriersStudy how communities tackle extremismResearch strong and successful communities class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6172805.stm">The cost in translation class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5280244.stm">The UK's ties that bind "Translation should never be a substitute for learning English in the first place. He added: "If you can't speak English - whether you are a new migrant or someone who has lived here for years - you are on a path to isolation and separation."
"Just as mastering reading and writing for school children opens up the rest of the curriculum, mastering English opens up participation in British society and accessing employment. Speaking at the London launch of the interim report, Ms Kelly said helping migrants to integrate must be accompanied by improved efforts to take on "poisonous" far-right groups.
"If you can't speak English - whether you are a new migrant or someone who has lived here for years - you are on a path to isolation and separation. She accused such groups of promoting division by spreading "myths and misconceptions" about Britain's multi-racial society.
"It is less of a problem for second, third, fourth generations," he said. "Language support offered to spouses from abroad is therefore of real interest - should we be asking whether they should speak English before they get here?" "And it is because of this that I am determined to achieve a step change in the Government's work to tackle far-right extremists," she added.
Under current proposals, only migrants who are unemployed or on benefits will qualify for free English lessons from September. But critics predict a huge number of foreign workers in low-skilled minimum wage jobs will not be able to afford to take classes. The government also proposes to cut benefits to those who cannot prove they are learning English. She said policies over past decades had sometimes "emphasised what divides us at the cost of what unites us".
'Better balance' Under current proposals, only migrants who are unemployed or on benefits will qualify for free English lessons from September.
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said it would respond fully to the commission's recommendations once the final report is produced in the summer. The government also proposes to cut benefits to those who cannot prove they are learning English.
"As we have said before, there are instances where it makes sense to translate certain materials in order to ensure that people are able to access certain vital information," said the spokesman. 'Impractical'
"However, there is a need to strike a better balance so that translation does not become a barrier to learning English. Rehna Azim, a barrister and editor, said suggestions that immigrants should learn English before arriving in Britain were "impractical".
"The guidance that the Commission are planning to produce will help local authorities in getting this balance right." She told the BBC's Today programme: "The idea that some young woman in Pakistan or Bangladesh can go to a class in her village to learn English when she knows nothing about this country is really... impractical and it is not going to happen."
The commission's final months of work ahead of its June report will focus on finding examples of local communities that have overcome some of the problems of integration so that their experiences can be repeated elsewhere. She said what was needed was an integration programme showing arrivals in the UK around their new cities and introducing them to available services.
Learning English would then become a practical necessity, she said.
Birmingham Labour MP Khalid Mahmood told BBC Five Live that it was not the problems of those who could not speak English but the issues facing young radical Muslims and alienated youths who already speak the language that needed to be tackled.
Nick Pearce, director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, said the government needed to put more resources into language training.
He added: "The more people living in Britain who speak English, the better.
"But it would be impractical and unrealistic to expect the families of short-term migrant workers coming to do key jobs in our economy to pass a test before they arrive."
Ms Kelly said her department would study the commission's recommendations carefully in June before responding.