HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 c690W
Mr. Djanogly

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of people from countries acceding to the EU who will take up jobs in the UK in each of the three years following accession. [135080]

Beverley Hughes

Research conducted by University College London for the Home Office, published in June this year ("The impact of EU enlargement on migration flows", Home Office On-Line Report 25/03), estimates that the numbers of people who will migrate to the UK from the new member states in the years following enlargement will not be significant. The research corroborates a number of other independent studies which have been summarised in reports by the European Commission in 2000 and the former Department for Education and Employment in 1999. The estimates for those expected to migrate comprise both those coming for purposes of work and those coming for other reasons such as education.

We will monitor the situation and the UK has the right to reintroduce restrictions in the event of an unexpected impact on the standard of living or level of employment in a particular region or occupation.

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