Migrants 'benefit UK economy'

Barbara Roche is calling for a fresh debate on migrants

A change of tone on immigration policy is being signalled by the government as ministers float the idea of allowing skilled economic migrants into the UK.

The call for a fresh debate on the issue follows the death of 58 Chinese immigrants who died while attempting to enter the UK last month.

I'm not laying down any hard and fast rules today

Barbara Roche

Home Office Minister Barbara Roche has used a conference speech in Paris on Friday to put forward the new ideas and she told delegates that "immigrants have had a very positive impact on the societies they join."

Speaking before her speech Ms Roche denied the move amounted to a shift in government policy on the politically fraught issue of asylum seekers.

She told the BBC: "The time has come to separate out the completely different issues of asylum in which we have proper firm but fair policies on and the separate issues in what circumstances should have a policy on [economic] immigration."

The move to bring forward a debate on the issue is also a response to the skills shortage which is holding back the UK economy.

Ms Roche continued by saying: "We've made it very clear that there is a separation between asylum and looking properly at the sort of skills that any country needs in order to make sure it has got the correct skills base to meet the challenges of the modern world."

'Innovators sought'

Detailing the type of people who may benefit from such a scheme were it to be introduced, Ms Roche said: "Innovators, those people who have particular skills that mean that they would have very good ideas that could take our economy forward."

She added: "I'm not laying down any hard and fast rules today, all I'm doing is putting down a marker."

The move is also being seen as a way of attempting to undercut criminal gangs who profit from trafficking immigrants.