§ Mr. SoamesTo ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net inward migration of non-EU nationals was in each of the last five available years. [85810]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Karren Dunnell to Mr. Nicholas Soames dated 9 December 2002:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the net inward migration of non-EU nationals in each of the last five available years. I am replying in his absence.The information requested is provided in the attached table which shows the interim revised net migration estimates for non-EU nationals during the period 1997–2001.These interim migration estimates are consistent with the results of the 2001 Consus. This showed that the population of the UK had been overestimated between 1991 and 2000, mainly due to the overestimation of the net flow of international migrants into the UK. For this reason, an adjustment has been made equivalent to the average annual overestimation of net migration since 1991. This is approximately 76,000 each year. The first release of these interim revised estimates was made on Thursday, 28 November. 91W More information is available on the NS website: http://wwwstatistics.gov.uk/about/Methodologybytheme/downloads/international migration methodology.doc.
Interim revised total international estimates1: citizenship 1997 to 2001. Net migration to the UK Thousands (£) Year All citizenships British Rest of EU Non-European Union2 1997 10.8 67.3 7.6 70.4 1998 96.3 29.2 19.8 105.6 1999 100.5 29.7 2.1 132.3 2000 99.6 65.6 0.1 165.0 2001 125.7 56.3 4.0 178.1 1 These estimates represent interim revised migration estimates. Further revisions to the series, in the light of more detailed Census data, will be made available in spring 2003. This table includes adjustment for asylum seekers, and for persons admitted as short-term visitors who are subsequently granted an extension of stay for other reasons—for example, as students or on the basis of marriage. Migration flows between the UK and Irish Republic are also included. 2 Figures for all years show EU as it was constituted on 1 January 1995.