Written question asked by Lord Field of Birkenhead (Labour) on Wednesday, 13 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 May 2009. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Thursday, 21 May 2009 on behalf of the Treasury.

Public Finance: Migration

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will recalculate Table 4.1 on page 36 and Table 4.2 on page 42 of his Department's report of March 2008 on long-term public finance: an analysis of fiscal sustainability assuming long-term average annual net migration of (a) 50,000 a year, (b) 60,000 a year, (c) 100,000 a year, (d) 6 per cent. below the principal migration projection each year, (e) 5 per cent. below the principal migration projection each year and (f) zero.

Answer: [holding answer 18 May 2009]: Table 4.3 on page 45 of the 2008 long-term public finance report shows the sensitivity of spending projections to alternative assumptions on fertility, life expectancy and migration. The next Long-term public finance report will be published in 2009.

Secondary information