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Press Releases for December 2004
December 29, 2004
Student 'Scams' provide yet another back door into Britain
December 13, 2004
Government admit immigration link to rise in housing demand for first time
December 2, 2004
Call for HIV tests for immigrants from Southern Africa
Full Text of Releases : December 2004
Student 'Scams' provide yet another back door into Britain
Further evidence that current procedures are failing to prevent major scams within the immigration system is revealed in a new report out today from think-tank Migrationwatch.
Research by the group into Home Office statistics reveals serious doubts about the number of students being allowed to extend their stay in Britain, raising concerns that it is yet another back door into Britain.
In the case of students from just one country - Jamaica - in the period 2001/03 - 1690 students were admitted but 27,525 more had their stays extended, even though official records show there are only 780 Jamaican students in the country!
Once again it underlines the chaos that exists in the system and makes a mockery of the claim by the Prime Minster recently that immigration is under control, said Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch. How can they possibly have granted so many extensions over a three year period without anyone realising that there must be some major scams in operation?
The groups analysis is drawn from Home Office immigration statistics published recently (CM 633) which show an increase in student extensions of 48% over the previous year to reach 190,215.
A comparison between the number of students admitted to Britain from each country over the past three years and the number granted extension in that period shows some surprising results. For Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Mexico, Russia, Czech Republic and Cyprus extensions were less than 25% of student admissions over the same period. For the USA, by far the largest source of students at 195,000, only 2% sought extensions. (Read Report).
By contrast, extensions were close to 100% of admissions for countries such as Lithuania, Ukraine, Trinidad, Ghana, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Sri Lanka.
This high percentage may be partially accounted for by the fact that students may re-apply for extensions provided that they have evidence of financial support and a letter offering them a place. Those who arrive as visitors from countries for which visas are required are not permitted to switch to student status. If they do not require visas they may do so.
None of this, however, explains the two most remarkable results, said Sir Andrew.
In the period 2001 2003 4,270 students were admitted from Zimbabwe but, in the same period no less than 25,420 extensions were approved. For Jamaica the figures are even more startling. 1,690 were admitted and 27,525 were extended. By contrast, according to a recent Parliamentary Answer [HL 4832] the number of Zimbabwean and Jamaican students in UK Higher Educational Institutions in 2002/3 was only 2,850 and 780 respectively.
Visas were introduced for Zimbabweans in Nov 2002 and for Jamaicans in Jan 2003 but the number of extensions granted to students continued to rise.
"It is no wonder that public trust in the Governments immigration policies is at an all time low," he said.
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Government admit immigration link to rise in housing demand for first time
Government figures, just released, show that immigration will increase the number of households in England by nearly 1.2 million over the period 2001 –2021. The previous estimate, based on 1996 immigration assumptions, was less than 600,000 - half the new estimate.[1]
The new projections mean that nearly one in three of the additional 189,000 households formed each year will be due to international migration – the first time this has been officially admitted.
In respect of London the projections are especially dramatic as they show a huge rise in the annual rate of household formation expected in the capital - from 26,000 p.a. to 46,000 p.a. In fact London, the South East and East account for 55 % of all the projected additional households between 2001 and 2021
Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of MigrationwatchUK, said ‘These figures are significant for a number of reasons. They are the first time the Government has officially admitted the link between migration and the increase in housing needs.
‘The new figures also officially confirm the actual scale of the impact of immigration on the demand for housing across the UK – especially in London and the Southeast, already one of the most densely crowded areas in Europe.
‘At least the link between the two is at last out in the open and we can stop pretending that the two are not related. It is completely irresponsible for the Government to promote immigration without taking account of the resultant intense pressure on housing and public services.
‘They are also going against the wishes of the vast majority of the population who are alarmed at the way in which immigration has soared under this Government without any explanation or rationale. A sharp reduction in immigration is now essential,’ he said.
[1] House of Lords answers HL 102 and HL 104 Column WA 39
See also: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pns//pnattach/20040206/3.doc
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Call for HIV tests for immigrants from Southern Africa
Migrationwatch UK today issued a paper (Read Report) drawing attention to the very large number of HIV infections from three African countries. Last year infections acquired in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi accounted for a quarter of all new cases in the UK.
Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said, "This has gone far enough, public health must come before political correctness. At the very least visas must be required for Malawians and HIV tests introduced for all three countries. Applications can then be considered in the light of all the circumstances.
Professor Roger Williams, Professor of Hepatology and Director, Institute of Hepatology, University College London said, "Pressures on the National Health Service are already intense. There is a very reliable test for HIV. We cannot continue much longer without taking this necessary step"
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