Local
3000 Maltese among foreign-born Londoners
By MaltaMedia News
Oct 22, 2007 - 11:10:45 AM

Figures released this week quoted by the London newspaper The Evening Standard show that out of a total Greater London population of 7.4 million, only about 5 million were born in Britain. Of these, 3 thousand were born in Malta.

One in three people living in London was born abroad and at least another 10,000 foreign-born citizens are settling in the capital each month. The number of foreign-born Londoners increased from 2.3 million in June last year to almost 2.5 million 12 months later.

The figures, from the UK Office for National Statistics, show the biggest foreign-born communities include Indians (almost 200,000), Bangladeshis (115,000), Irish (113,000) and Jamaicans (108,000). There are now just over 100,000 Poles living in London and there are also large Nigerian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan populations.

Merrick Cockell, chairman of London Councils, told The Evening Standard that the true figures could be even higher and called for more funding to help pay for essential services. "London boroughs are struggling to meet the increasing population's demands for services such as social care and waste, while central government reaps all the economic benefits from international migration," he said.

"The Government must distribute these benefits in a fairer way." Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Jeremy Browne stressed cultural diversity brought huge benefits to the capital. "London is a truly international city with a constantly evolving population," he said, according to the Evening Standard report. "The success of our financial markets and business climate are attracting a wide range of entrepreneurs and workers. "That is creating a social vibrancy but the Government needs to respond to legitimate concerns about pressure on public services in some areas."

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said the amount of foreigners moving to Britain was "completely unacceptable" and called for an annual limit on the number of non-European Union migrants. A Home Office spokesman said: "We know migration added about £6billion to our economy last year and London has shared in the benefits."

He said the independent Migration Impacts Forum would advise the Government on how migration affects public services and communities, both impact and benefits. A new points system, based on the Australia model, for immigration will be introduced next year.