Growing challenges
24th February 2008
There is a need for an intelligent conversation about the challenges of a growing population.
The Conservative approach includes:
- An annual limit on economic migrants - For economic migrants from outside the EU there should be an annual limit on the number admitted.
- A proper Border Police Force - A dedicated Border Police Force to ensure border security.
- Transitional controls for new EU entrants - The imposition of transitional controls for new EU entrants should be applied here as they are in other countries.
- Changes to the rules on marriages across borders - A Conservative Government will raise the minimum age for a spouse coming to Britain - and their sponsor - to 21.
- A revolution in skills training - It will be a priority to get people off benefits and into work. This will reduce the demand for migrant labour, indirectly helping to control immigration.
- Radical Welfare reform - The current benefit system actively discourages parents from living together. The Conservatives will abolish this 'couple penalty', thereby helping to tackle the social problems associated with family breakdown, including educational failure, persistent poverty, crime and substance abuse.
