Post by Focus on Feb 19, 2013 22:17:21 GMT
David Cameron's trade mission to India will fail unless ministers stop talking about immigration as a problem, a government aide has warned.
Indian investment in British companies has declined to a “worrying” degree in the past two years as a result of the negative debate on limiting migration, according to Gavin Barwell, a Conservative MP.
Mr Barwell said British politicians risk 'sending very mixed messages' to prospective Indian students and investors
Mr Barwell, who is a parliamentary aide to the Education Secretary, said Mr Cameron’s trip to India would do no good unless the tone of immigration policy changed.
His comments were made amid a Cabinet row over the Home Secretary’s commitment to limit inward migration to the tens of thousands.
Theresa May said further relaxing the rules on immigration could undermine national security.
Ministers including Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, have been critical of the target, warning that it risks deterring entrepreneurs and scientists. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has urged the Government to let in the “best and brightest”.
Vince Cable, Business Secretary
There are fears that Britain’s reputation as a leading destination for international students, who pay full university tuition fees, has suffered.
In an article for The Telegraph, Mr Barwell said British politicians risk “sending very mixed messages” to prospective Indian students and investors. He praises Mr Cameron’s “spot on” message that there is no limit on the number of Indian students who can study at British universities. He continues: “There is evidence that this is not the message that has been getting through and that the reality for Indians trying to come to Britain to study or do business can be depressingly different.
“It’s no good the Prime Minister committing so much of his time to beating the drum for Britain and telling the world we are open for business if every time we talk about immigration domestically it is always in terms of it being a problem, of not wanting people to come here.”
Prime Minister, David Cameron
Mr Barwell has started the immigration think tank, Migration Matters, which has analysed government figures and found a fall in Indian investment in the UK. The number of Indian undergraduates travelling to Britain to study has fallen 24 per cent in the past year, while there was a 28 per cent fall in postgraduate numbers.
These declines are unprecedented and will cost the economy an estimated £169 million, Mr Barwell said. “That means lower growth, fewer jobs and a heavier burden on British nationals struggling to pay down the deficit built up by the last government,” he added. The number of Indian-funded investment projects in Britain fell from 97 in 2011 to 81 in 2012, Mr Barwell said, adding that the immigration controls of the UK Border Agency were “expensive”, bureaucratic and “intimidatory” -- As far as I'm concerned there are no 'mixed messages' about immigration ... BRITAIN IS FULL!! - Fx
