Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Government plans cap on non-EU immigration

Pa
Tuesday 25 May 2010 06:47 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Immigration to Britain from outside the EU is to be capped, under plans in the Queen's Speech today.

The issue was one of the key areas of disagreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats before they formed the coalition.

Nick Clegg's party had wanted a regional points-based system, but eventually conceded that the Tory manifesto pledge should stay in the Government's programme.

In today's address, the monarch said: "My Government will limit the number of non-European Union economic migrants entering the UK and end the detention of children for immigration purposes."

Notes attached to the speech set out the coalition's ambition for net migration to be "tens of thousands not hundreds of thousands".

Although the UK needs to attract the "brightest and the best", immigration "is too high".

"In the long-term we should up-skill British workers so that we do not need as many economic migrants to fill jobs," the briefing added.

Final decisions on the level of the annual limit and how it will be implemented will be taken after consultation with business and "other interested sectors".

Immigration Minister Damian Green will also lead a review of how to end the widely-criticised practice of detaining children for immigration purposes, which will put forward proposals in the coming months.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in