IDS Admits Benefits For Migrants "Crisis"

IDS Admits Benefits For Migrants 'Crisis'


The Work and Pensions Secretary wants to stop benefit
tourism but is locked in a battle with the European Union.


3:32pm UK,
Tuesday 05 March 2013

Restrictions on migration from Romania and Bulgaria lapse
in December

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  The Government is facing crisis as it tries to stop EU migrants
  coming to the UK to claim benefits, Iain Duncan Smith has warned.
  
  The Work and Pensions Secretary said it was too easy for migrants to pass the
  current residency test, which then entitled them to claim benefits.
  
  He told MPs he was trying to tighten up the system "dramatically" but was
  being thwarted by the European Union.
  
  The senior Tory was replying to an urgent question from Labour MP Frank
  Field, as the Government works on how to stem immigration from Romania and
  Bulgaria
  
  "There is somewhat of a crisis over this. For the last two years, I have been
  fighting a rearguard action over what was left to me by the last government," he
  said.
  
  "I inherited a habitual residency test which simply isn't fit for purpose. We
  are trying to tighten that up dramatically and I am being infracted at the
  moment by the European Union for doing that."
  
  The habitual residency test does not demand that EU migrants show they plan
  to stay here for any set period of time.
  
  They can also claim child benefits from the UK even if their offspring still
  live in their native country and pocket tax credits by claiming self-employed
  status.
  
  GPs were taking on migrants even if they had only been in the UK for 24
  hours, Mr Duncan Smith told MPs.
  Iain Duncan Smith says he is being thwarted by
  the EU
  He declared that Germany and other countries had "woken up at last" to the
  issue and stressed that he had made Britain's position clear to the European
  Commission.
  
  Mr Duncan Smith wants greater restrictions on universal credits.
  
  Local councils will also have to publish data on how much social housing was
  being offered to non-British citizens.
  
  The Government is battling to head off concerns over the influx of migrants
  from Romania and Bulgaria when temporary restrictions are lifted in
  December.
  
  Mr Field claimed 25,000 people are already arriving every month.
  
  Shadow minister Stephen Timms admitted the prospect of future migration meant
  the problem had to be addressed but criticised the Government for "floating some
  vague ideas".
  
  Tory John Redwood suggested new laws should prevent migrants receiving
  benefits unless they show a "suitable contribution" or spend 10 years in
  full-time education here.
  
  Mr Duncan Smith said: "This is very much the direction of travel we are
  trying to take."
  
  Tory James Duddridge said: "The infraction process is surely just a fine.
  No-one has ever paid any of these fines.
  
  "Please, please, please just say no, tell the Commission to sod off and don't
  pay the fine."
  
  Mr Duncan Smith said: "I'll skip the language and stay with the
  sentiment
  

Flout the Law I say and let the EU decide what to do. Previous Governments, without fully explaining to us what they were signing away got us in this mess. Britain has every right to give priority to it's Citizens and should immediately make a decision to ban any more immigrants unless they have a job to come to after improving the Border Control Agency which is woefully inept.