Deputy Prime Minister鈥檚 speech on immigration
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg made a speech on immigration on 22 March 2013.
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Today I want to talk about immigration.
Not asylum; that鈥檚 an important distinction to make - immigration.
皇冠体育app debate is opening up, and that鈥檚 a good thing.
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皇冠体育app political mainstream has a duty to wrestle this issue away from populists and extremists.
A duty to shift what can be a highly polarised debate - particularly in difficult economic times - onto practical and sensible ground.
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This morning I will explain why鈥�
In order to remain an open and tolerant Britain鈥�
We need an immigration system that is zero-tolerant towards abuse.
Tolerant Britain, zero-tolerant of abuse.
That鈥檚 the vision the Coalition is working towards.
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Yvette Cooper said, recently, that we must avoid an 鈥渁rms race of rhetoric鈥� on immigration.
I agree.
That kind of low populism patronizes the British people.
And it is an insult to the many migrants who have contributed to our country.
British society has been shaped by migrant communities in ways more profound than any cliche about chicken tikka masala, or Notting Hill Carnival, or Polish builders can ever express.
I鈥檓 the son of a Dutch mother - she, herself, raised in Indonesia;
A half-Russian father; husband to a Spanish wife.
Like millions of Brits, if you trace our blood lines back through the generations, you end up travelling around the globe.
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And I鈥檓 a liberal.
I鈥檓 immensely proud of this nation鈥檚 wonderful diversity and openness.
Those are great British traditions too.
Of course, if you believed every headline, you鈥檇 think that when immigrants aren鈥檛 stealing British jobs鈥�
皇冠体育appy鈥檙e all living the high life in 12-bedroom Kensington mansions, courtesy of the state.
But that鈥檚 a complete caricature of the truth.
皇冠体育app majority of people who come here work hard and make a contribution.
Many have served - and still serve - in our armed forces.
And if every member of an immigrant community suddenly downed tools, countless businesses and services would suffer.
皇冠体育app NHS would fall over.
And in a globalised economy, where talent is as mobile as capital.
No nation can succeed by pulling up the drawbridge.
British firms depend on outside skills and expertise in order to compete.
British universities too.
皇冠体育app reason this country has a world-beating research base is because we are a magnet for the brightest and the best.
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That鈥檚 why, when the Coalition put limits on the number of migrants coming here from outside Europe鈥�
It was important to Vince Cable and myself that students - genuine students - were excluded from that.
It鈥檚 why, more recently, the Coalition has rejected proposals to impose a visa regime on visitors from Brazil.
Where a minority are abusing the system, we need to deal with that - whatever nationality they are.
But a new visa regime would deter Brazilian tourists, discourage Brazilian investors.
And Brazil would simply do the same to us.
Hampering the access British companies have to one of the world鈥檚 fastest growing markets.
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So, yes we are bringing immigration under control, and I will explain how.
But I want UK firms to be in no doubt.
皇冠体育app Coalition鈥檚 priority continues to be growth and building a stronger economy.
I鈥檓 clear that well-managed immigration is a key part of that.
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People鈥檚 anxieties are not, generally-speaking, driven by prejudice or racism.
We are, by nature, a tolerant people.
But, for too long, British people鈥檚 legitimate concerns have been downplayed.
For too long their worries were met with words but not action.
皇冠体育appre鈥檚 a common allegation that, among the political elite鈥�
皇冠体育appre鈥檚 been a conspiracy of silence on immigration.
But over the years there鈥檚 been lots of talk, lots of posturing, lots of promises.
Plenty鈥檚 been said.
皇冠体育app problem is: not enough鈥檚 been done.
Where there is resentment towards the immigration system, we must now confront it.
For a diverse society like ours to function successfully鈥�
For different groups to integrate and co-exist鈥�
British citizens must believe that the rules by which migrants come and settle here are reasonable, just, and properly enforced.
皇冠体育app immigration system must command public confidence.
[Political content removed], net migration has fallen by a third.
We鈥檝e limited immigration from outside Europe.
And within the EU, we have kept the transitional limits on Romania and Bulgaria, until the point where every member state has to remove them.
But it鈥檚 not just about the overall numbers.
People need three basic assurances:
One: that we are getting a grip on who鈥檚 coming in and who鈥檚 going out.
Two: that we can deal with people staying here illegally.
Three: that the system as a whole benefits the UK and doesn鈥檛 put too much pressure on our state - particularly in these straitened times.听
Give British citizens those assurances, and you will see this nation鈥檚 most welcoming side.
皇冠体育app Coalition is creating a system people can be confident in.
A system that contributes to both a stronger economy and a fairer society - we need to deliver both.
Tolerant Britain, zero-tolerant of abuse.
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Assurance number one: that we鈥檙e getting on top of who鈥檚 here.
皇冠体育app Coalition is building a much clearer picture of who鈥檚 coming in and going out.
We鈥檙e building up Britain鈥檚 entry checks鈥�
Increasing the information we get in advance of people travelling.
And we are reintroducing exit checks.
Exit checks tell us whether the people who should have left actually have.
Britain used to have them, but they were dismantled by previous governments.
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Assurance number two: that we can prevent people from staying here illegally.
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We鈥檙e clamping down on the most exploited routes into the country鈥�
Tightening up what鈥檚 known as the 鈥榯ier one route鈥�, for example.
It was supposedly for highly skilled visa applicants, but was routinely exploited by people who did not have those skills.
皇冠体育app student route was riddled with holes.
So we鈥檙e cracking down on bogus colleges.
UKBA officers visited a college which had requested permission to bring in over 200 students.
How many did they find studying that day? Two.
Since 2010, almost 600 colleges have been removed from the list of registered visa sponsors.
While we have to be realistic about UKBA鈥檚 enforcement budget in the current climate鈥�
We鈥檙e making sure money is better spent.
For instance, reducing, the opportunity for long, vexatious and costly appeals鈥�
By those who have been refused the right to remain in Britain鈥�
While still safeguarding the right to a fair hearing.
We鈥檙e cracking down on the profiteers.
I can confirm today that the Coalition will increase the cash penalties for unscrupulous employers鈥�
Who hire illegal immigrants because they鈥檙e cheaper.
Currently, the maximum fine is 拢10,000 per illegal worker.
I鈥檝e asked the Home Secretary to look into the right amount鈥�
But personally I鈥檇 like to see it double.
Employers need to get the message:
皇冠体育appy have an inescapable duty to employ people who are working here legally鈥�
Not to turn a blind eye to those working illegally.
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And I鈥檓 determined that our police can come down on the criminal gangs who smuggle and traffic people into the country.
We鈥檙e currently reviewing policing cooperation with our European partners.
But I鈥檓 clear that we must not jeopardise any arrangements that help us tackle this kind of cross-border crime.
Criminals go across borders; so must we.
In addition to these crackdowns, I can also confirm we鈥檙e looking at a powerful new tool鈥�
To help deal with the problem of people overstaying on their visas.
Visa overstayers make up a major part of UKBA鈥檚 enforcement caseload - clogging up the system.
As early as 2006 we had reports from Select Committees鈥�.
Arguing that visa overstaying would be one of the biggest challenges for our immigration system in the 21st Century.
As people travel more, for work, for holidays鈥�
You have more people coming into the country for temporary periods鈥�
And so you need to find ways to make sure they leave.听
皇冠体育app challenge isn鈥檛 just stopping people coming into Britain illegally鈥�
It鈥檚 about dealing with individuals who come over legitimately鈥�
But then become illegal once they鈥檙e already here.
One idea, which appeals to me, is a system of security bonds.
And so I鈥檝e asked the Home Office to do some work on it鈥�
With a view to running a pilot before the end of the year.
皇冠体育app basic premise is simple:
In certain cases, when a visa applicant is coming from a high risk country鈥�
In addition to satisfying the normal criteria鈥�
UKBA would be able to request a deposit - a kind of cash guarantee.
Once the visitor leaves Britain, the bond will be repaid.
Clearly, we need to look into the detail and seek a wide range of views鈥�
Including from the Home Affairs Select Committee.
皇冠体育app bonds would need to be well-targeted - so that they don鈥檛 unfairly discriminate against particular groups.
皇冠体育app amounts would need to be proportionate - we mustn鈥檛 penalise legitimate visa applicants who will struggle to get hold of the money.
Visiting Britain to celebrate a family birth, or a relative鈥檚 graduation, or wedding鈥�
Should not become entirely dependant on your ability to pay the security bond.
And I would want a system that is welcomed by legitimate visitors.
Rather than place a great burden on them鈥�
Done right, this would speed up the application process鈥�
Giving UKBA greater confidence about people鈥檚 intentions鈥�
Allowing them to make better, faster decisions.
In today鈥檚 world, illegal immigration happens in different ways - and we need to think innovatively to keep up.
Finally, assurance number three:听
That immigration as a whole benefits Britain and British citizens.
Migration contributes to the public purse - we mustn鈥檛 forget that.
But it is important, with budgets under strain鈥�
That as many people as possible contribute to the economy and support themselves.
We鈥檙e asking that of British citizens - it is right that we ask the same of visitors to Britain.
So the Coalition has reformed work visas鈥� So that every worker coming here has a proper job offer and a minimum salary.
And we鈥檝e changed family visas鈥�
To introduce a minimum income for anyone bringing over a partner or spouse.
While it鈥檚 right that, if businesses can鈥檛 find the skills they need鈥�
皇冠体育appy can bring people in from outside the UK鈥�
As we tackle unemployment and rebuild our economy鈥�
We also need to be asking why that鈥檚 the case at all.
Why aren鈥檛 our young men and women equipped to do these jobs?
So the Coalition is creating record numbers of apprenticeships - over one million since the election.
And I want to make sure we have the right plans in place for so-called 鈥榮hortage occupations鈥� - the specific professions where we lack skills.
皇冠体育appre are 34 currently on the list.听
Paediatricians, maths teachers, chemical and mechanical engineers, to name a few.
And we are now asking employers and their representative bodies鈥�
Including Sector Skills Councils鈥�
To work with the Government on our plans to build up Britain鈥檚 homegrown skills for each profession鈥�.
Making sure we鈥檙e on track.
I believe people will have more faith in our immigration system if they see that we are doing everything we can to help young British men and women into work.
To that end, the Coalition has also capped unskilled migration from outside the EU.
皇冠体育app Government is also looking at the access migrants have to services and benefits.
Fairness isn鈥檛 just about what people put into the system鈥�
It鈥檚 what also about what they take out.
This work is extremely complex.
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So now we are systematically working through to see where reform is necessary.
No decisions have been taken yet鈥�
And the PM will be saying more about his views on Monday.
But I want to make clear that this is very much a Coalition agenda,
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皇冠体育app Government currently spends tens of millions of pounds on translation services and materials.
And, of course, people should get help, if they need it鈥�
To understand what their doctor is saying鈥�
Or how to sign their children up for school鈥�
Or what鈥檚 going on at a court hearing.
But there鈥檚 a missed opportunity here to improve people鈥檚 English鈥�
So that, in the long term, they don鈥檛 need those translators鈥�
And the taxpayer spends less.
We鈥檝e already raised the level of English required from a number of different groups:
Skilled workers, the husbands and wives of migrants coming to the UK.
But we need to do more to help people who are already here.
In 2011 we introduced powers for Jobcentre advisers to mandate people on job-related benefits to learn English鈥�
If their level of language skills is stopping them from finding work.
I鈥檝e asked Iain Duncan Smith to report back to me on how this is being implemented.
I want to make sure it鈥檚 being rolled out effectively across the country.
And where people need a translator to interact with services鈥�
I鈥檝e asked Mark Harper, the Immigration Minister, to look at whether we could refer them onto an English language course.
And, if people refuse to stick with those courses, we should consider making them pay for their translation services instead.
To a lot of people, that鈥檚 just common sense.
We鈥檒l be saying more about this, and the other areas under review, over the coming weeks and months.
So in conclusion, we are grappling with the difficult challenges in our immigration system.
Brick by brick, we are rebuilding it.
Day by day we are making sure, quite simply, that it works.
All the British people ask is for a system they can have confidence in.
We hear that, and we are delivering it.
I鈥檓 determined we lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation鈥檚 instincts and its values:
Our openness and tolerance on one hand;
Our sense of fair play, on the other.
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We want to stay a tolerant Britain, and to that end we will be zero-tolerant of abuse.