IMMIGRATION
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what level of net migration was assumed in his Department's 2012-based household projections for England.
Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for Communities and Local Government: The 2012-based household projections were based on the population projections published by the Office for National Statistics, which can be found at:
These are not a forecast of immigration, nor are they a target. They are derived from broad assumptions, based on previous trends. They do not take into account the impact of the Government’s clear and intended policies to ensure controlled immigration.
These include the reforms we have made to strengthen our border and improve the enforcement of our immigration laws. Since 2010, this Government has stripped more than 850 bogus colleges of their rights to sponsor foreign students; cracked down on illegal working and sham marriages; made it harder for people to live in the UK illegally by restricting their access to bank accounts, driving licences, and private housing; and reduced the number of appeal routes to stop people clogging up our courts with spurious attempts to remain in the country.
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