Exit controls needed to assess immigrant numbers

12.00.00am GMT Tue 20th May 2008

Commenting on today's government figures showing a drop in immigration from new EU accession countries, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"These figures confirm that the pattern of EU migration is like a turnstile, as people come in and out to fill gaps in our work force.

"But there continues to be an overall lack of control of our borders because we longer know whether people who are given temporary visas then leave again, thanks to the abolition of exit controls under the Tories."

Commenting on new figures showing a record number of people have been granted British citizenship, Chris Huhne said:

"The rise in citizenship must go hand in hand with a real effort to integrate immigrants into our society, which sadly cannot be the case when ministers are cutting English courses."

Commenting on a drop in the number of failed asylum seekers deported, Chris Huhne said:

"These figures show the lamentably slow progress the Government is making in clearing the backlog of asylum applications, some of which have now been pending for years."