Migrant worker reports

So here's a thing - two reports have been published by the Government looking at the impact of migrant workers to the UK.  One focuses on the economic benefits (about £700,000 per day extra output) and that the workers pay more in tax to the system than they take out in services.  The other looks at the social impacts of migrant workers, and in a qualitative manner focuses on the strains that migrant workers are placing on the health, housing, education and justice systems. 

Both reports are covered by the Daily Telegraph and the BBC, but what surprised me, was that the Telegraph focused on the positive side of the argument, while the BBC hardly mentioned the economic benefits, but played up the pressures on service provision.

Neither media source is really being balanced in their reporting, but I was surprised that the BBC chose to focus on the negatives, even when they are supposed to promote social cohesion and education to the population.

The media have been reporting isolated instances where local authorities have emphasised the pressures on services caused by the influx of migrant workers - Slough was a particular cause celebre and I have worked on reports for Wychavon in Worcestershire and for Hertfordshire where there are also issues. 

In Wychavon, it was the first instance noted of the pressures on emergency medical cover, as migrant workers are not aware or face difficulties signing on with GPs.  In Hertfordshire, the key pressures that were noted were on facilities for learning English and the funding for that, with some large employers unwilling to pay for this service.

There is little doubt that migrant workers are taking jobs that we would expect home grown workers to take, however with low numbers of Job Seekers Allowance unemployed, there is a shortage of labour that migrant workers are taking.  In Worcestershire, anecdotal evidence suggests that our own home grown workers do not want to do night shifts, work in hospitality, do work that is a bit physical or is perceived to be low status.

Personally I say thank you to those migrant workers that have moved to the UK and mean that Stanstead Airport, buses, cafes and other services function well.  I would also remind readers that there is an exodus of UK nationals leaving Britain for Spain, France and Portugal, who do not contribute at all to their economies, but are happy to take advantage of the health systems and subsidised public transport.  Just a thought!

Comments

[Legrande, Jacques]

Your last comment was very telling, about those English who comes to France. We have the best health services anywhere and they cost a big amount of money. But when the expats arrive in France with big money in the bank, they claim they are poor because they have no income. The Sarkozy Government says that people in their 50's cost on average 3000€ per year for health, but I know many who pay only 600€ or less per couple. This costs us a lot of money. Billions of euros, so now when we ask these immigrants to pay, they complain. Why? They have not paid in the french health service so why should we look after them? The UK is not the only country to have problem with immigrants, you know!!