Total of 29.25 million EU migrants? Is this the number of immigrants who have come from the EU since UK Accession?
I ask this question because of the huge discrepancies in the official figures.
Let me explain. The official numbers of EU migrants is much lower than the true number. However the discrepancy between the official figures and the National Insurance numbers (which have only recently been revealed) is simply staggering. The National Insurance numbers are only the numbers of those who are actually signing up to work as employees or self-employed rather than children, and economically inactive dependents ie they are much less than the real total.
Over the last five years the Government has claimed that there have been “only” (sic!) one million EU migrants. The only figure available against which this claim can be checked against is the 2.25 million EU migrants who have registered for National Insurance in that period.
So on an over simplistic calculation: if in the last five years there would appear to have been more than 2.25 million EU immigrants (of whom the vast majority will no doubt be in England), it isn’t as completely fanciful as you might have thought that the total number of EU migrants over the 40 years since the UK joined the EU would amount to 29.25 million!
Here is an article about the true scale of EU migration:-
Ministers accused of hiding true scale of migration and real number may not emerge until eve of referendum
Britain’s official statistics body announces review into migrant figures amid concerns real figure could be significantly higher
The Office for National Statistics has announced an official review of migration figures amid concerns that hundreds and thousands more migrants have come to Britain than figures suggest.
According to official figures 1million EU migrants came to Britain over the past five years, but over that same period 2.25million registered for national insurance numbers.
Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers have called on David Cameron to publish figures revealing the number of active insurance numbers being used by migrants.
The ONS, which produces Britain’s national statistics, has said that it wants to use the figures as part of its review to ensure that the public have a more “complete picture”.
The review will be published alongside official net migration figures, which are expected to show that he number of migrants coming to Britain is at near record levels.
Jonathan Portes, Principal Research Fellow at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said that the review is likely to be a “big moment” during the referendum campaign.
He has tried to use Freedom of Information laws to try to obtain the figures from the Government but has been repeatedly rejected.
He said: “The fact that the Office for National Statistics is going to look at these different sources and reconcile them is entirely welcome.
“This is an important issue, we know the current numbers are far from perfect and the Government has data which is highly relevant. They are doing their best to hide it from us.”
Official figures suggest that 257,000 EU migrants came to Britain last year, but over the same period 630,000 EU citizens registered for a national insurance number.
David Cameron has refused a request to release the figures, claiming that the difference is accounted for by short term migrants.
Official migration figures are based on a survey of more than 800,000 migrants as they enter and leave Britain, known as the International Passenger Survey.
The ONS said that “at times when migration patterns change significantly, there is a risk that the International Passenger Survey design may need to be changed to fit these”.
It said: “When available, DWP and HMRC data on national insurance number activity (those who have applied for a national insurance number and are still active in the UK) will be incorporated to provide additional information for the users of our statistics and a more complete picture.”
Earlier this month John Whittingdale, the Culture Secretary, told The Daily Telegraph: “There is already enormous concern on the basis of the numbers that that are published. The suggestion that they may understate the position is a cause for even greater concern.
“I have heard the reasons why national insurance numbers don’t necessarily reflect actual levels but at the very least that’s a debate which we need to have and I can see no reason why we can’t have the figures.
“The massive influx that has occurred as a result particularly of the expansion of the EU is putting pressure on all of the public services – housing, education, health.
“It is creaking at the seams. There is a very strong feeling that his is a small country and we simply cannot go on having an enormous influx over which we have no control.”
Here is the link to the original article>>> Ministers accused of hiding true scale of migration and real number may not emerge until eve of referendum – Telegraph