This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27407126
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Romanian and Bulgarian migration: UK worker numbers show dip | Romanian and Bulgarian migration: UK worker numbers show dip |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK has fallen by 4,000 since employment restrictions were lifted in January, but is up 29,000 compared with a year ago, figures show. | The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK has fallen by 4,000 since employment restrictions were lifted in January, but is up 29,000 compared with a year ago, figures show. |
| The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show 140,000 employed in the UK between January and March 2014. | The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show 140,000 employed in the UK between January and March 2014. |
| On 1 January, Bulgarians and Romanians gained the same rights to work in the UK as other EU citizens. | On 1 January, Bulgarians and Romanians gained the same rights to work in the UK as other EU citizens. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs the reduction was "notable". | Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs the reduction was "notable". |
| 'Inflammatory rhetoric' | 'Inflammatory rhetoric' |
| The government has not said how many new arrivals it expects as a result of the lifting of temporary restrictions placed on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants when they joined the European Union in 2007. | The government has not said how many new arrivals it expects as a result of the lifting of temporary restrictions placed on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants when they joined the European Union in 2007. |
| The pressure group Migration Watch has estimated the UK could expect 50,000 arrivals a year from the two countries and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) predicted large numbers of new immigrants. | The pressure group Migration Watch has estimated the UK could expect 50,000 arrivals a year from the two countries and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) predicted large numbers of new immigrants. |
| The figures show the number of people employed in the UK by country of birth. | |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander says the data "gives the lie to UKIP's scaremongering on immigration". | Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander says the data "gives the lie to UKIP's scaremongering on immigration". |
| He said: "The very modest number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in Britain this year is in stark contrast to the inflammatory rhetoric of earlier this year." | He said: "The very modest number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in Britain this year is in stark contrast to the inflammatory rhetoric of earlier this year." |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the figures showed "another huge increase" in foreign workers. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the figures showed "another huge increase" in foreign workers. |
| BBC home editor Mark Easton said a "huge wave" of new arrivals clearly hadn't happened in the first three months of the year. | |
| But he said it was too early to get a full picture of the numbers that would move. | But he said it was too early to get a full picture of the numbers that would move. |
| "This is just the first three months, there may be all sorts of reasons why that number is not as high as some people predicted." | "This is just the first three months, there may be all sorts of reasons why that number is not as high as some people predicted." |
| Partners and children | Partners and children |
| Sir Andrew Green, of Migration Watch, said he stood by the 50,000 figure, which included partners and children of those seeking work. | Sir Andrew Green, of Migration Watch, said he stood by the 50,000 figure, which included partners and children of those seeking work. |
| "The latest figures suggest there'll be a continuing flow of Romanians and Bulgarians but they don't tell us much about the scale of the flow," he said. | "The latest figures suggest there'll be a continuing flow of Romanians and Bulgarians but they don't tell us much about the scale of the flow," he said. |
| Oxford University's Migration Observatory said there were usually more workers from the two countries in the first three months of a year than the last three months of the previous one. | Oxford University's Migration Observatory said there were usually more workers from the two countries in the first three months of a year than the last three months of the previous one. |
| Senior researcher Dr Carlos Vargas-Silva said the workforce figures were a "valuable first step" but that the long-term implications of lifting the restrictions were still not known. | Senior researcher Dr Carlos Vargas-Silva said the workforce figures were a "valuable first step" but that the long-term implications of lifting the restrictions were still not known. |
| Bulgarians and Romanians gained the right to visa-free travel to the UK in 2007, when their countries joined the EU. But there were temporary restrictions on the kind of jobs they could take. These expired on 1 January 2014. | Bulgarians and Romanians gained the right to visa-free travel to the UK in 2007, when their countries joined the EU. But there were temporary restrictions on the kind of jobs they could take. These expired on 1 January 2014. |
| The government has recently introduced measures limiting the amount of out-of-work benefits migrants from the European Union can claim. | The government has recently introduced measures limiting the amount of out-of-work benefits migrants from the European Union can claim. |
| Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government had to do more "to address people's legitimate concerns". | |
| She said: "Ministers aren't doing enough to stop employers and agencies exploiting cheap migrant labour, particularly from Eastern Europe, to undercut wages and jobs." | |
| Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said the ONS figures were "unsurprising". | Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said the ONS figures were "unsurprising". |
| He said: "The committee viewed for itself how the supposed flood of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria was little more than a trickle. It would appear now that many may have actually left the UK." | He said: "The committee viewed for itself how the supposed flood of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria was little more than a trickle. It would appear now that many may have actually left the UK." |
| Are you Romanian or Bulgarian and working in the UK? Are you from another Central or Eastern European nation? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Working in the UK'. | Are you Romanian or Bulgarian and working in the UK? Are you from another Central or Eastern European nation? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Working in the UK'. |