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Managed Migration

It is not a game. The hon. Gentleman has made many distinguished contributions to this debate over the years, but he should try to resist using the phrase ““the numbers game””. Of course numbers are important. People want a controlled immigration system and they will want to know whether we have open borders or not. Whatever individual benefits might arise from the scheme, there will also be collective issues at stake, including population growth and pressure on public services, especially in those parts of the country that already have very high levels of population growth. It is impossible to look at this issue intelligently in the round without considering the effects on all the individuals concerned and the collective pressures on public policy.