“Re-migration” report

A new report from IPPR

Shall We Stay or Shall We Go? Re-migration trends among Britain’s immigrants
In this report ippr sets out to quantify and analyse re-migration from the United Kingdom, and to understand what motivates immigrants to leave. The phenomenon of re-migration – in other words the emigration of immigrants – has not, on the whole, been well documented or understood. But policymakers should care about re-migration and know more about those leaving.

more info at the ippr website

IPPR – the Institute for Public Policy Research – is a leftish-leaning  think tank with strong links to the British Labour Party.

No bias in housing allocation to migrants

The vast majority of people who live in social housing in Britain were born in the UK, according to a research study published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The study found that less than two per cent of all social housing residents are people who have moved to Britain in the last five years and that nine out of ten people who live in social housing were born in the UK. It found no evidence to support the perception that new migrants are getting priority over UK born residents. Nor was there any evidence of abuse of the system, including ‘queue jumping’ or providing false information.

Migrants’ Rights Network newsletter

In June’s newsletter:

(1) Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill hits the Commons amid protests

(2) MRN releases Irregular Migration report in Parliament on 2nd June

(3) Immigration statistics show drop in A8 nationals coming to UK

(4) Court decision on the right of asylum seekers to work in the UK

(5) Concern about the tone of UKBA publicity materials

(6) Migrants and Climate Change: A Call to Action

(7) Reports and Research

(8) Upcoming Events

(9) Other Announcements

To read the full newsletter, please visit: http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/downloads/newsletters/MRN_Newsletter_Jun09.pdf

Migration policy, racism and inequality in Scotland

“It strikes me that too often we seek comfort in a Scottish consensus that we are all Jock Tamsons’s  bairns – citizens of a fair and equal nation. We like to think we are free of racism and other inequalities because we prefer that to the truth.  In order to live up to our own self image we have to make the sentiment of our songs real, and openly say ‘this Scotland is not good enough’ , and then work to make it better. Our welcome and behaviour towards newcomers is only the starting point.”

Morag Alexander, Scotland Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission

Worker Registration Scheme extended for 2 years

Despite evidence that the Worker Registration Scheme leads to violations of human rights, putting vulnerable workers at more risk of exploitation and abuse, the UK Government has decided to extend the scheme for a further two years.

In a press release issued today, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas was “delighted to announce keeping in place restrictions … which limit Eastern Europeans’ access to benefits.”

This means that people from eight European Union countries can (for a fee of £90) continue to excercise their rights as EU citizens to work and pay taxes in the UK, but, unlike UK citizens working in Europe, will have no right to state assistance should they need it.

So the worker who loses his job may become homeless and destitute, with no housing benefit of homeless assistance while he looks for work. And the woman with a violent partner may find no sanctuary. These are just two of the examples highlighted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commision in it’s evidence to the Migration Advisory Committee, calling for the WRS to be scrapped.

The UK will become one of only five of the 27 EU member states to keep restrictions on the rights of “A8″ nationals, those citizens of the countries which joined the European Union in 2004 (the other countries with restrictions are Denmark, Belgium, Austria and Germany).

Worker Registration Scheme: ‘abuse of human rights’

More questions, more calls for it’s abolition, but no answers yet on the WRS

The MP for Glasgow South West has submitted a written question as to the future of the WRS, on behalf of a Glasgow Polish residents association. We await a response from the Minister.

Meanwhile, the Lords have been asking questions, amid evidence that the scheme leads to human rights abuses.

Door Step refugee advice project now online

Door Step Equal Access is a unique multimedia project with a  participative approach to the development and delivery of information, advice and support services.

Paula’s Story is a short drama researched, written, acted in and filmed by the  five refugees who took part in the Door Step project in Glasgow, Scotland. It tells the story of the challenges facing a refugee family moving on from asylum support and trying to find a secure home.

The film is designed as an aid to advice work, and for training and awareness-raising. The DVD is accompanied by a User Guide which provides background information, highlights key issues and includes a checklist for advisers at each stage.

The DVD (in English, Arabic and French) and the User Guide are available free of charge from PATH Scotland, or can be downloaded from the Door Step website at:

www.door-step.net

End of the Worker Registration Scheme?

About 10 months ago I wrote a post on the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS), speculating on it’s planned demise come May 1st 2009.

As May Day approaches, that old post has been getting more and more hits;  presumably people are searching the web trying to find out if the WRS really is about to end. Is it worth paying £90 to register your employment for a couple of months?  That was the question a settled Polish worker asked of me the other day, in regard to his recently arrived son (adding that many people don’t bother registering these days anyway).

No one seems to know for sure if the WRS will end on May 1st. You can vote on what you think will happen in our wee poll at the end of this message, but first…

To recap…

Research: Migrant impact on UK jobs and wages negligible

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has published a new study suggesting that European migration since EU expansion in 2004  has had no negative impact on either UK employment levels or wages – in fact there may have been a small positive impact.

The Economic Impacts of Migration on the UK Labour Market study is based largely on data from the Labour Force Survey and Department for Work and Pensions figures on national insurance numbers from 2001 to 2007, as well as a review of the existing literature and economic theory.

Migrant’ Rights Network newsletter, Feb 09

The Migrants Rights Network is working for a rights-based approach to migration, with migrants as full partners in developing the policies and procedures which affect life in the UK. Migrants Rights News aims to inform our members and other groups working on migration issues about regional and national policy developments, campaign news, recent research and upcoming events.

At the Heart of Migrants Rights News are the campaigns and strategies being developed by migrants to consolidate their position in British society. We focus on activities that extend the scope of the human, economic and social rights which apply to migrants’ circumstances.

February 2009 MRN newsletter: