John Baron MP calls for co-ordinated Government response to Romanian and Bulgarian immigration

MP highlights fiasco of 2004 and need to tighten benefits

Yesterday afternoon, the Rt. Hon. Ian Duncan Smith MP [Secretary of State for Work and Pensions] made a Statement in the House of Commons about the Government response to the anticipated surge in immigration from Romania and Bulgaria once transitional EU controls cease at the end of the year. John has raised this issue before in the House of Commons with the Home Office.

John asked:

“This is clearly not a problem of the Secretary of State’s making. Given that the average salary in this country is five to six times what it is in Romania and Bulgaria, will he do what he can to ensure cross-departmental co-operation in our response, so that we do not face the situation we had in 2004 when Departments were simply out of the loop?”

The Secretary of State responded:

“Absolutely. In fact, we have already had a number of meetings with the Prime Minister and coalition colleagues about tightening up between Departments and understanding where one Department’s position knocks on to another. The first thing is to get rid of the silo mentality that existed and create a pan-Government position. The next thing is not to talk tough here and soft abroad, but to work with the Foreign Office to be as tough over there as we are back here. That is the process that is now being engaged.”

John said afterwards:

“Our benefits system is one of the most generous in Europe. The Government is rightly tackling this, and encouraging people back into work. But time is short. We must ensure the system is not exploited.”

“The 2004 shambles must not be repeated. The then Labour Government hopelessly underestimated by a factor of 20 the extent of immigration from Poland. The Government was unprepared – as were our public services. No records were kept. We must learn from our mistake.”

Ends

Word Count: 329

Date:   6^th March 2013

Notes to Editors