英伦广角 Issue 129 英拟收紧移民政策（在线收听）

In the reshuffle, the Prime Minister has put me in change of the immigration policy? Phil Woolas’ appointment as Immigration Minister ruffled a few feathers amongst pro-immigration campaigners, and his latest comments would have done nothing to ease their worries. Out and about in his Oldham constituency, the minister laid out his argument/ for curbing the number of people who are allowed to settle in this country. Mindful of the race riots which scarred Oldham in 2001. I think we have to, as a country, talk about immigration, not talking about it is what led to the problems in my constituency 7 years ago. The lesson of that was that we have to talk about it. We have to do so, in a mature way and a non-discriminatory way, informed by facts, but we have to talk about it. Among the voters of Oldham, Mr. Woolas' views seem to chime.

We need to know how many people are coming, and how many people are living in this country, I think he is doing the right thing.

we can't get jobs and there is too many people, so I think, definitely, this is something required about that.

If you come in and made the effort to come here, then you should be working, not just to live off and feed off the benefit and everything we've got. We have worked for that. So I don't think it's fair that people should be coming in the end, just living off benefits, they should be working, there should be a limit and restriction.

But immigration-support groups are concerned. The government's stance is the thin end of an unworkable wedge.

There are large number of skills in this country, which we cannot fill from, within the indigenous population, or the European Economic Area. And those people, they are gonna have to come in from outside. We are a trading nation.

The Home Office says it's points-based system, similar to that used in Australia, will allow flexible migration. And if it had been up and running last year, 12% fewer migrant workers would have been allowed in. The system is complex and covers a number of skills. For example, a highly skilled migrant who wants to settle permanently in the UK needs to score a total of 75 points or more from a series of categories.

Education is important. If you've got a PhD, you will score 50 points. But a bachelor's degree is only worth 30. Age plays a big part, too. The younger, the better. Those who are under 28 get 20 points. If you are over 31, you get nothing. High earners, too, are valued. Those earning the equivalent of 40,000 pounds or more a year get 45 points. But less pay means fewer points, just 5 is the lowest category.

With recession around the corner and unemployment rising, the government is acutely aware that doing nothing to curb immigration would leave it open to the accusation that British jobs were being snapped up by foreign workers.

David Bowden, Sky News.