Migrant fears ‘fuelled by lack of true figures’

THE Government’s failure to identify the number of illegal immigrants is fuelling anxiety about how many live in Britain, a report claimed last night.

MPs said fears about the impact of those here unlawfully could ‘grow unchecked’ thanks to the lack of official information.

They said many thought the lack of figures showed official ‘indifference’.

In a report, the Commons home affairs select committee said: ‘Analysis of the scale and nature of the problem of illegal immigration is needed to develop appropriate policy and reassure the public that the issue is being addressed seriously.’

The MPs also stressed the importance of enforcement, as many foreigners, including criminals, had disappeared.

Yesterday, Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes reaffirmed the Tory commitment to reducing net immigration to ‘tens of thousands’, telling BBC1’s Sunday Politics show voters ‘want to see us reducing immigration to sustainable levels’, adding: ‘We’re doing exactly that.’

Officials insist it is impossible to say how many foreigners are here illegally, but a former immigration enforcement chief claimed last year it was likely to be more than a million.

Last June, a report by the Civitas think-tank suggested an extra 150,000 people a year stayed in the country illegally.

Yvette Cooper, who chairs the committee, said: ‘Most people think immigration is important for Britain, but they want to know that the system is under control.’

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are making it harder for those with no right to be here to remain. However, it is not possible to estimate the illegal population.’