Government is Hiding Key Data on Immigration, Says Conservative MP

[klondike]

Government departments and agencies are hiding key data on the economic contribution of immigrants by nationality. Conservative MP Neil O'Brien (yes, I know, we haven't forgiven him for going after sceptics during lockdown, but stay with me) writes about the problem in the Times.

The Government collects fabulously detailed statistics on many things. We know that the average Brit drinks about 542 cups of tea a year. We know how many people have been struck by lightning since 1852.

We know what proportion of buses in Rutland run on time. We know that while the Beatles sang that there were "four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire", there were in fact 4,817 potholes there in 2022. But if you want to get hold of statistics about migration, it's surprisingly difficult to get reliable data.

Start with the basics. How many people live in Britain? The official answer has changed radically in only a few months. Alongside the budget in March, the Office for Budget Responsibility announced that by the end of its five-year forecast the population would be a million higher than its last forecast, only three months ago. It stated: "About two thirds of this increase is due to a higher estimate of the current U.K. population."

Paul Johnson, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: "This is astonishing when you think about it. We now think the U.K.'s population next year will be more than one million higher than we expected less than three years ago. Driven by much higher net immigration." ...

And that's just the basics of how many people are here. Go a level deeper and there are no data at all. How many people of different nationalities are in the country? Amazingly, we don't know. The ONS used to publish an annual breakdown of our population by nationality. But that has been discontinued. When I asked the ONS when the breakdown might resume, it said it was unable to give a date. The organisation is working on it and will provide a progress update some time this year.

What about the economic effects of different types of migration from different places? That question is becoming harder to answer because officials have stopped publishing the data we need to have a sensible conversation about it.

HM Revenue & Customs used to publish annual data on how much tax people of different nationalities paid. But it recently confirmed to me that it has stopped publishing it. Similarly, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) used to publish data on welfare claims by nationality. The DWP published figures every year for a decade or more but it, too, has decided to stop publishing this.

Many EU countries, among them Denmark, Germany and Austria, produce sophisticated analysis of the fiscal contribution of migrants who come on different types of visa, from different places. They use this to ensure they are getting the most beneficial types of migration. We should do the same.

Source : https://dailysceptic.org/2024/04/06/government-is-hiding-key-data-on-immigration-says-conservative-mp/

The full stoty is behind The Time paty wall.

I must admit I used to think most of the lack of stats on this issue was down to incompetence but now I'm wondering if it isn't deliberate.

[JBR]

Yes, I suspect that it is deliberate.  After all, this Conservative (actually Liberal) government has supervised mass immigration over much of its last 14 years in office.  Now that it is a common talking point they prefer not to discuss it openly, for obvious reasons.

Yet, my local MP (Mary Robinson) is presently sending out postal messages asking what her constituents would like her, and her party, to do next.  Surely, she and her colleagues aren't really expecting to be re-elected.

What on earth do they expect?

[klondike]

Surely, she and her colleagues aren't really expecting to be re-elected.

Sounds like she's in that well known Egyptian river to me.

[Cassandra]

Yes, I suspect that it is deliberate.  After all, this Conservative (actually Liberal) government has supervised mass immigration over much of its last 14 years in office.  Now that it is a common talking point they prefer not to discuss it openly, for obvious reasons.

Yet, my local MP (Mary Robinson) is presently sending out postal messages asking what her constituents would like her, and her party, to do next.  Surely, she and her colleagues aren't really expecting to be re-elected.

What on earth do they expect?

Robinson, is a 'One Nation' group supporter within the Tory enclave, also a 'Remainer'. 'A Dead Woman walking' with a slender majority of 2,336 (that shrunk, even in 2019).

A dedicated Theresa May people importer and good all round EU egg. Even if people are stupid enough to respond with their wishes they will merely say yes, you bet and post re-election ignore them anyway

Perhaps she'll get replies advising her and her pinheaded colleagues to adopt the habits of the 'lemming' breed and accept the oncoming 'cliff' gratefully.

All round a far more permanent absolution to their collective arrogant 'deafness'. So here's to you, 'Mrs' Robinson ...

[JBR]

Robinson, is a 'One Nation' group supporter within the Tory enclave, also a 'Remainer'. 'A Dead Woman walking' with a slender majority of 2,336 (that shrunk, even in 2019).

A dedicated Theresa May people importer and good all round EU egg. Even if people are stupid enough to respond with their wishes they will merely say yes, you bet and post re-election ignore them anyway

Perhaps she'll get replies advising her and her pinheaded colleagues to adopt the habits of the 'lemming' breed and accept the oncoming 'cliff' gratefully.

All round a far more permanent absolution to their collective arrogant 'deafness'. So here's to you, 'Mrs' Robinson ...

I believe you are right, as in this constituency the people always vote either Conservative or Liberal.  Bearing in mind that many people are now disappointed with the Conservatives' behaviour, I am pretty sure that they will elect the Liberal option although the two are pretty much indistinguishable from each other!
I, of course, shall vote for Reform.

[Diasi]

I'm amazed that anyone would need an MP to tell them what anyone with a brain cell should have already worked out for themselves.