'Britain facing no migrant flood'

Fears have been expressed over migration from the former Eastern Bloc

The idea Britain is facing a "tidal wave" of immigrants has been branded a myth in a report by a committee of MPs.

The media often suggests the UK is in the frontline of dealing with refugees, the cross-party Commons international development select committee said.

In fact, most migration takes place within and between developing nations, it pointed out.

It said migrants coming to the UK benefited the country and should not be treated as a "problem".

The MPs called for more "joined up thinking" in government on issues linked to migration.

Legal routes

The report comes a day after it emerged that more than 24,000 people from the eight ex-communist states which joined the EU on 1 May had signed up to the UK's workers register by the end of June.

Home Office figures show that more than 14,000 of those were already in the UK before enlargement.

The Commons committee said migration could benefit Britain, migrants and their home countries.

But it warned that opening up more legal routes for migrants might undercut people traffickers, but would not "satisfy the latent demand for migration".

There is currently no 'tidal wave' about to crash on the shores of the UK or the developed world as a whole Commons international development committee Migrant workers figures released

It questioned whether such moves might make Britain more attractive to potential asylum seekers.

The report presses ministers to tackle illegal trafficking and working in Britain, and do their utmost to protect migrants' rights.

One way of preventing exploitation would be introducing a system of well-regulated recruitment agencies with "preferential access to legal immigration routes into the UK", it suggested.

Health recruitment problems

The MPs also say asylum claims must be processed fairly and quickly to win public confidence in the government's ability to control migration.

And they attack industrialised countries for giving aid to developing nations for healthcare and education while "helping themselves" to their doctors, nurses and teachers to prop up their own public services.

The report tries to put migration into perspective, saying that still only 2.9% of the world's population lives outside their country of birth.

"It may well be the case that many more people would like to migrate, but there is currently - in contrast to the impression given in some parts of the media - no 'tidal wave' about to crash on the shores of the UK or the developed world as a whole," it says.

"Migration and migrants should not be seen as problems to be dealt with.

"Migration presents both challenges and opportunities. Migrants are people trying to improve their lives and must be treated accordingly."

Pressure group Migrationwatch UK's chairman Sir Andrew Green said: "Nobody is suggesting that there will be a tidal wave of immigrants."

"Migrants bring some benefits but they also add to congestion and Britain is already a close second to Holland as the most crowded country in Europe."

Making links

The committee chairman, Tory MP Tony Baldry, said: "Anyone reading the British press might assume that the UK is in the front-line of dealing with migrants and refugees. This is simply wrong."

Mr Baldry says migration is linked to many other issues, including HIV/Aids, environmental damage, world trade and arms exports.

"Yet there is clearly a lack of joined-up thinking and some resistance to connecting issues," he added.

Other conclusions in the report include:

• Migrant workers could be encouraged to return to their own countries by giving them a share of their unused national insurance contributions once they leave

• Migrants' home nations could be helped by making remittances sent back to their families tax-deductible.