annqldau

For those of you who are wondering if you've made the right move.. .

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/articl...2292880,00.html

Britain The Times July 31, 2006

NHS and schools 'at risk from surge in EU immigration'
By Joanna Bale

A HUGE rise in immigration from Eastern Europe next year could cause chaos in schools and hospitals and spark a public backlash, according to a leaked government report.
It also gives warning that ministers may be forced to abandon their refusal to grant housing and welfare benefits, creating what it describes as an extra “pull factor”, attracting further immigrants.



The arrival of hundreds of thousands from abroad is already forcing down wages for low-paid workers with “serious implications” for social discord, the report insists. A “step change” in the level of immigration when Romania and Bulgaria join the EU next year could make things worse, it says.

The document, by the junior Home Officer minister Joan Ryan and entitled Migration From Eastern Europe: Impact on Public Services and Community Cohesion, reveals that every government department has been ordered to draw up contingency plans to deal with the extra pressure on schools, housing and health.

The report says that schools will be under pressure, with thousands of children arriving here unable to speak English.

It insists that hospitals will struggle to cope with Eastern European patients who “block” hospital beds because they are ineligible for social care and benefits if they leave.

The report also reveals that towns and cities where large numbers of the new immigrants have settled are demanding millions of pounds of extra money to cope.

The leaked document, marked “Restricted”, was written by Ms Ryan on July 19, the day after she submitted a report saying that 45,000 “undesirable” criminal migrants from Romania and Bulgaria may settle in Britain next year.

The report also insists that, although foreign workers have filled jobs that British workers do not want to do, there is evidence that wages for low-paid workers have been affected.

It says: “There is anecdotal evidence, particularly from Southampton, a port of entry for Eastern Europeans, that the effect of migration . . . has been to depress wages for low-paid workers. If this were widely true, or that perception were to spread widely, the implications for community cohesion would be potentially serious.”

Ms Ryan is concerned that a legal challenge could force the Government to abandon restrictions on Eastern European immigrants applying for benefits and social housing. Her report says that some councils are demanding an end to this restriction so that they can get them off the streets.

The Government is already being criticised for underestimating the flood of migrants from eight former Soviet bloc states that joined the EU in 2004: some 662,000 came to Britain in the past two years, instead of the 10,000 to 26,000 predicted. Ministers expect that number to rise by up to 140,000 next year.

The leak coincided with a police report yesterday revealing that the migration of East Europeans to the UK is bringing mafia-style gangsters and organised prostitution to rural areas. The document, an unlisted appendix to a council meeting in Cornwall, cites figures from Boston, Lincolnshire, where there are large numbers of migrant workers.

In Boston, the report notes, “the local community have reacted adversely” to “drinking, noise and the open proliferation of massage parlours”.

A recent police stop-and-check in Lincolnshire found 50 per cent of all drivers were committing an offence and 97 per cent of those were migrant workers.

The document notes: “There has also been a marked increase in road traffic accidents in this rural area. There is a real concern over safety issues as a consequence.”
It reports that in Boston there is a “rapid increase” in bulk buying of new homes for “labour providers” to house their low-paid workers. The report says: “This has fuelled demand and price inflation. The council estimates the average two-bedroom house price has risen 400 per cent in six years. There has been ‘ghettoisation’ of some areas. Surprisingly, this is not just in older housing areas: but also on new-build estates, where blocks of property are being bought direct from developers.”

The report was drawn up by Kerrier council, in Cornwall, where an estimated 2,500 migrants fill jobs in agriculture, fishing and catering.

Police also revealed yesterday that illegal immigrants are being smuggled into Britain from France for less than £150 a head. The disclosure by the low-profile Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), set up four months ago, was far less than any fee previously mentioned in relation to people smuggling. It emerged in Soca’s “threat assessment” of serious and organised crime in the UK.

Sounds to me like we made the right move... .

Lewis Lapthorn

good post. k sent

jothefw

1) British agriculture would struggle to survive without migrants. The reality is they are prepared to work hard and in less than perfect jobs (I mean hand picking courgettes in a sun baked field or frost covered brussel sprouts in drizzle). We have tried to find brits to do same and they won't.

2) I don't like the fact that in Asda on Friday evening I was one of the perhaps 5% of english speaking people in there - the rest were eastern european workers.

But crikey if we want them to work over here then they've got to shop - I need to get used to it and the more time they spend over here then the more english they'll speak.

Our biggest concern is as artical mentions - driving, cars etc. There has been a local initiative to put all new migrants through a test, teach about car safety etc. I feel this would be a good idea - many local accidents are often migrant workers.

annqldau

Unlike Aus you have the benefit of online Asda and Tescos so you can have it delivered by the Polish wagon driver, no such luxury here... .

The lazy English doley's could work if the Gov stopped paying their rent when they have Sky TV and cars but cry can't afford rent then maybe we wouldn't of had to open the flood gates in the first place.

sasbear

Our biggest concern is as artical mentions - driving, cars etc. There has been a local initiative to put all new migrants through a test, teach about car safety etc. I feel this would be a good idea - many local accidents are often migrant workers.[/QUOTE]


I was concerned with this too for a different reason.

My sister, working at the post office in Sheffield 2 years ago - cashed a giro for a migrant for over 2 thousand pounds - she queeried this at the dss and was told 'it is to pay for his driving lessons and a car'!!!

My sister, working for a living, struggles to put herself through driving lessons each fortnight - and will have to get a bank loan to pay for a car.

Wol

Still, no-one could have forseen this when the logical consequences of the EU were debated <g>.

Tongue in cheek...........

annqldau

Just wait till Turkey gets in... .

Friend of ours daughter is supposed to be attention defecit (think she just needs good clip) and now she is 16 apparantly could take her test a year earlier because she gets Disability Allowance and needs transport. So why do the calm kids have to wait till 17 who will drive safer??? Worlds gone mad... :scared: .

Freddofrog

OK it's my first post, but I've lurked here for a while.

I'm sorry, but I just can't get over this dislike of immigrants to UK and using it as a justification for becoming immigrants to Oz. It's breath-taking hypocrisy...

But, by your logic it's okay: you don't steal low paying jobs, only high paying jobs - right?

jothefw

I don't think we're actually saying we dislike immigrants - in fact I've said we value them.

And in my post I don't say what my reasons are for the move, it certainly isn't immigrants!

Freddofrog

Well your particular post was not in he Daily Mail class of the others, that's for sure.

But the thread in general began with the old "remember why you left the UK" type sentiment, and certainly seemed anti-immigrant to me.

Also, if you (the other posters) are in Oz, why worry about what's happening in the UK. Those cheap, hard-working non-English speakers ain't your problem any more!

(Jokes on you).

Lewis Lapthorn

Mine are.

Rompers

LMAO....another thread by an immigrant slagging off immigration

The OP reminds me of that sketch about the black KKK member.

Lewis Lapthorn

Huge difference. Australia is ours.

cresta57

Whose?

tequila

The problem is of course we should have controlled the immigration. Yes there are certain job posts that need filling and many here say, it appears that only migrant workers will do some of these dirty low paid jobs. and that's great! ( shame the current unemployed can't be made to do these tasks but there you go another subject ) However, if you look around local papers, forums etc, you will note that so many immigrants are flooding in and many are skilled tradesman, what are they doing? Undercutting the British workman ( you will find evidence of this on this very forum, I think it's under the move back to Blighty bit ). Then of course the problems start, resentment, lower pay, unemployment, violence, less hospital beds, no doctors appointments ( have you tried to get one in the high immigration area's? No chance ) etc etc. Unfortunatley it appears it is only our esteemed govenment who failed and continue to fail to see this!
Immigration is fine.... but as they do in Auss, you need to limit it to the needs of the country, some out, some in etc.....