Post by Focus on Feb 13, 2013 14:26:30 GMT
David Cameron has pledged to overhaul the benefits system for immigrants after disclosing that he believes the current system does not pass the “simple common sense test”.The Prime Minister said he wants to limit immigrants' access to British public services to ensure that the UK is “not a soft touch”.
Mr Cameron has said that he wants to reform the system allowing immigrants access to housing, the health service, the justice system and benefits.
His comments came amid a growing debate about the numbers of new migrants preparing to come to the UK next year.
Twenty nine million Bulgarians and Romanians will gain the right to live and work unrestricted in Britain in 2014 under European “freedom of movement” rules.
The Prime Minister chaired a ministerial working group yesterday during which he questioned members of the Cabinet about ways to withhold some benefits from immigrants.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cameron said the Government will look at “every single one of systems” to ensure that so-called benefits tourists are not taking advantage.
“Britain has always been an open and welcoming economy but it isn't right if our systems are being abused and that is why I chaired yesterday a committee meeting in Whitehall,” Mr Cameron said. “We are going to look at every single one of our systems - housing, health and benefits - to make sure we are not a soft touch for those who want to come here.
“I think it is absolutely vital that we get this right. There are many parts of our current arrangements which simply don’t pass a simple common sense test in terms of access to housing, access to the health service, access to justice and other things which should be the right of all British citizens but they’re not the right of anyone who just chooses to come here.”
The Home Office has repeatedly refused to put any number on the anticipated arrivals from Bulgaria and Romania.
Ministers are concerned about releasing the research into the possible number of arrivals, which they believe will be compared with a prediction that only 13,000 would move to Britain from Poland and other eastern European countries after 2004.
More than one million eastern Europeans then arrived in one of the biggest waves of immigration seen in the UK.
A report from MigrationWatch, a think tank, claimed that 50,000 people a year would arrive until 2019 -- Pull the other one Cameron it's got fcking bells on it!! - Fx 
