Britannist

DECADE 'TO MOVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS'

Thursday 18 May 2006 03:03am

Immigration minister Tony McNulty says it could take a decade to clear the backlog of illegal immigrants currently in the UK.

After Prime Minister Tony Blair conceded that nobody knew how many were in the country, Mr McNulty said the best estimate was between 310,000 and 570,000.

He told BBC2's Newsnight that was "roughly in the ball park", while removals were running at about 25,000 a year.

Asked how long it would take to deport all of the illegal immigrants in the country, he said: "Assuming that we can find them, and assuming that people aren't going away of their own accord, it would take some time."

Pressed for a figure, he added: "Ten years, if you are saying 25,000 per year."

His comments came after Tory leader David Cameron said the premier was "rattled" and his Government "in paralysis" after the controversy over illegal immigration was the latest to engulf the Home Office.

The row was sparked by comments made by Dave Roberts, director of enforcement and removals at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, who told MPs that he did not have "the faintest idea" how many illegal immigrants were in Britain.

Mr Roberts, who was giving evidence to the House of Commons home affairs committee, which is looking into immigration control, also said those who overstayed illegally were not pursued as "individuals".

Home Secretary John Reid admitted it was "disturbing" that the figures were not available.

But he stressed that data on illegal immigrant numbers had not been collected for at least 15 years.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd 2006, All Rights Reserved.