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Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules

My Lords, I am particularly grateful to my noble friend for his perceptive intervention. I want to underline two points that I thought were particularly important. The first was that any move in this sphere—indeed, in any sphere of government—should be evidence based. It is very dangerous when one starts meddling in human affairs without a convincing analysis of the implications and of what the outcomes are likely to be. The second point is the impact. We all know that one of the difficulties with immigration policies is that so often the weight of immigration falls upon communities that are already under-resourced in terms of education, health, social provision and indeed employment. It is those areas that find themselves on the front line and this, understandably, can lead to tensions. It is therefore very important to see how any move in immigration policy is linked to social policy and economic policy so that the whole thing stands convincingly together. Those were two crucial points made by my noble friend. I would like to raise a slightly wider issue which is very pertinent to these proposals. We talk about the importance of joined-up government. I am very glad that the Minister who is replying has the portfolio she has, because, whether she agrees with me or not, she will understand why I am making this point. She has heavy responsibilities in security matters, which she discharges very convincingly. We are concerned about global stability and global security. Anyone who is concerned about those issues must recognise that they are related to the economic situations that prevail in various parts of the world. A lot of the pressure of immigration has arisen because of the failure to achieve convincing economic performance in the countries from which those people come. Now we seem to be moving into a rather illogical situation: we say that we are going to stop the people who suffer from the absence of good economic opportunities and conditions from coming here but we will encourage the people who could help to overcome that by their entrepreneurial and professional skills to come here, and we will make special provision for them. This matters, of course, in terms of rationality and justice, but it matters very much in the sphere of security. Are we inadvertently exacerbating economic conditions within which instability arises and extremists can begin to recruit? This needs a bit of attention, and I would like the Minister’s reassurance that in approaching a matter of this significance there have been discussions between those responsible for security and those responsible for immigration—between those in the Department for International Development and those responsible for immigration—to consider the implications of what is being proposed. Having said that, as I look around the Chamber, I would be surprised if any noble Lords would disagree that, practically and factually, immigrants have made a tremendous contribution to the British economy, and skilled, well educated immigrants have made an outstanding contribution to this country in many spheres. In my days in the other place, many years ago, there were all the issues of central and east Africa, and the pressures of Asians being pushed from that continent. One now looks at the British pharmaceutical retail trade and wonders how on earth we coped before Ugandan Asians came to this country. I often used to remark that perhaps the late Ted Heath, as Prime Minister, was actually encouraging this because he saw it as the final hope for the success and dynamism of British capitalism. Certainly there has been a tremendous contribution, but that must in no way be allowed to mask the more profound issues which I have tried, however inadequately, to raise. I hope that in her response to this debate, the Minister, for whom I have considerable respect, will be able to say something about the wider context and the wider consultations that have taken place.