ianstone
10-13-2010, 08:30 PM
14 October 2010 Last updated at 00:28
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Ministers say the demand for school places is an "immediate priority"
More than half a million extra school places will be needed in the UK over the next five years as a result of immigration, a pressure group has said.
MigrationWatch says the number of children born in the UK to parents from abroad has more than doubled in 10 years and is expected to keep rising.
The group, which advocates immigration controls, says the number of school-age migrants entering the UK is also up.
The government says it is committed to reducing the level of net migration.
'Reckless'
After studying immigration and population growth using government data and forecasts, MigrationWatch estimates 550,000 extra school places will be needed by 2015 at a cost of £40bn.
That figure would rise to £100bn by 2020, and £195bn by 2035, raising questions as to whether enough places can be provided, it adds.
We will take action across the board to ensure only the brightest and the best can come to the UK”
End Quote Government statement
MigrationWatch chairman, Sir Andrew Green, says the figures are a consequence of some of the most "reckless and unpopular" government policies in generations.
"The public are waking up to the speed and scale at which fundamental changes are being forced upon them, thanks to the policies of the previous administration, and our schools are but just one example," he says.
"It will be replicated in many areas of our national life such as health, housing, natural resources and infrastructure and the costs will continue to increase for many years to come."
The calculations include half the number of children born in the UK whose mother was born abroad, but whose father was UK-born.
Ministers say they are "transforming" the school building programme to best meet demand, which they describe as an "immediate priority".
A government spokesperson says: "We are fully committed to reducing the level of net migration back down to the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands.
"And we will take action across the board to ensure only the brightest and the best can come to the UK."
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49493000/jpg/_49493495_003741547-1.jpg
Ministers say the demand for school places is an "immediate priority"
More than half a million extra school places will be needed in the UK over the next five years as a result of immigration, a pressure group has said.
MigrationWatch says the number of children born in the UK to parents from abroad has more than doubled in 10 years and is expected to keep rising.
The group, which advocates immigration controls, says the number of school-age migrants entering the UK is also up.
The government says it is committed to reducing the level of net migration.
'Reckless'
After studying immigration and population growth using government data and forecasts, MigrationWatch estimates 550,000 extra school places will be needed by 2015 at a cost of £40bn.
That figure would rise to £100bn by 2020, and £195bn by 2035, raising questions as to whether enough places can be provided, it adds.
We will take action across the board to ensure only the brightest and the best can come to the UK”
End Quote Government statement
MigrationWatch chairman, Sir Andrew Green, says the figures are a consequence of some of the most "reckless and unpopular" government policies in generations.
"The public are waking up to the speed and scale at which fundamental changes are being forced upon them, thanks to the policies of the previous administration, and our schools are but just one example," he says.
"It will be replicated in many areas of our national life such as health, housing, natural resources and infrastructure and the costs will continue to increase for many years to come."
The calculations include half the number of children born in the UK whose mother was born abroad, but whose father was UK-born.
Ministers say they are "transforming" the school building programme to best meet demand, which they describe as an "immediate priority".
A government spokesperson says: "We are fully committed to reducing the level of net migration back down to the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands.
"And we will take action across the board to ensure only the brightest and the best can come to the UK."