PM ‘needs bureau’ to monitor new arrivals to UK and beat border bungles

THERESA May should set up a new Immigration Ministry to cut massive inflows into Britain, a think tank argues today.

The UK should copy other European countries in setting up the department to show it takes the issue seriously and help manage the effects of Brexit, Policy Exchange said.

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It should also be in charge of making sure new arrivals contribute to society and do not overwhelm certain areas as a “Department for Immigration and Integration”.

Immigration is currently adding 330,000 people a year to Britain’s population as open borders with the EU have triggered massive inflows.

Borders are managed by the Home Office but integration is split across Whitehall and the influx creates issues for councils, the NHS and schools.

The Policy Exchange report said Brexit brought opportunities to slash the high number of arrivals but called for migration to be carefully watched so the economy did not suffer.

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It also proposed giving every person in Britain – including new arrivals – ID numbers to help manage immigration.

The move would allow the Government to set up a national population register and allocate numbers to immigrants as they arrive, replacing the current muddle of databases including National Insurance numbers, NHS numbers and passports.

In turn that would make it easier for ministers to give extra cash and other resources to hardest-hit areas.

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Other proposals in the report include giving EU citizens who have been here longer than five years special “cut price” British citizenship for £1,000 rather than £5,000, post-Brexit work permits for all immigrants, and more money to help local pressures on health and education.

Author David Goodhart said: “The Government needs to get a grip on who is coming into Britain, where they are living and what public services they are accessing.

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“A British population register which differentiates between full and temporary citizens will help the government concentrate rights, benefits and integration efforts on those who are making a full commitment to the country.

“Roughly two million people arrive in the UK on visas every year and too many are overstaying.

“We have to urgently address the resentment that people feel about the fact that some migrants use Britain as a sort of economic transit camp.”

WHAT MINISTRY WOULD DO

THE proposed "Immigration Ministry" would be tasked with a number of duties, such as:
1) Reducing the numbers entering the UK
2) Ensuring new arrivals integrate
3) Beefing up border force
4) Processing work permits