A report examined the impact of the increase in European Union migrant workers on the United Kingdom labour market, and particularly on young UK-born workers. It said that the employment of migrant workers had significant benefits for employers, and that the main reason given for recruiting migrant labour was that employers had difficulty in attracting UK-born candidates to fill unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. The report said there was little evidence to suggest that migrant workers were employed to save wage or training costs, and employers with migrant workers were found to be more likely to offer opportunities such as work experience, internships, and apprenticeships. The report said that migration had been only one factor among many that had affected youth unemployment, and made a range of recommendations to improve employment opportunities for younger UK-born workers.
Source: The Growth of EU Labour: Assessing the impact on the UK labour market, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Links: Report | CIPD press release | Guardian report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report discussed the practice and implications of holding immigration detainees in the United Kingdom prison estate beyond the end of a custodial sentence. It said that detainees held in prison did not have the same range of support and facilities as those held in other forms of immigration detention, and that they experienced multiple, systemic, and compounding barriers to accessing justice. The report discussed the practical barriers encountered and said that prisons should no longer be used to hold immigration detainees.
Source: Denial Of Justice: The hidden use of UK prisons for immigration detention – evidence from BID's outreach, legal & policy teams, Bail for Immigration Detainees
Links: Report | BID press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A new book examined the role that international migration had played in Europe and in selected other OECD countries over the preceding decade in terms of labour force, educational attainment, and occupational changes.
Source: OECD/European Union, Matching Economic Migration with Labour Market Needs, OECD Publishing
Links: Summary | EC press release
Date: 2014-Sep
An article examined government policies that were aimed at immigrants' assimilation around an 'imagined' Britishness, and at managing multiculturalism and social cohesion. The policies were an attempt by 'new governmentality' to build a homogeneous British cultural identity. The article considered alternative forms of identity-building through pro-active social actions to demonstrate that immigrants were capable of resisting the 'assimilationist' agenda.
Source: Amadu Wurie Khan, 'Asylum-seeking migration, identity-building and social cohesion: policy-making vs. social action for cultural recognition', Contemporary Social Science, Volume 9 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Sep
A paper examined the labour market position of foreign-born United Kingdom residents (including those who now held United Kingdom citizenship), as related to their original purpose for migrating.
Source: Jacquie Cooper, Stuart Campbell, Dhiren Patel, and Jon Simmons, The Reason for Migration and Labour Market Characteristics of UK Residents Born Abroad, Occasional Paper 110, Home Office
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Sep
A think-tank report examined how cities in Europe attempted to improve integration and inclusion of immigrants and people from minority-ethnic groups, and how such localized policies related to national policy. The report looked at three areas in particular: the integration of new migrants; the adaptation of institutions and services to diversity; and how local efforts sought to overcome the negative effects of segregation. The report called for the improvement of formal and informal co-ordination on policy, for a 'stronger culture' of evaluation, and for better use of European Union frameworks and funding.
Source: Dirk Gebhardt, Building Inclusive Cities: Challenges in the multilevel governance of immigrant integration in Europe, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined how businesses responded following changes in migration policy (specifically, the introduction of an annual limit of 20,700 skilled workers under Tier 2 General of the Points Based System, and the closure of the Tier 1 General of the Points Based System).
Source: Employer Responses to Migration Policy Changes: Employer recruitment of people from outside the EEA, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Sep
The government responded to a report by a joint committee of MPs and peers on the effect on children of the proposed introduction of a residence test for civil legal aid claimants, so as to limit legal aid to those with a 'strong connection' with the United Kingdom.
Source: Government Response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights – Legal Aid: Children and the residence test, Cm 8936, Ministry of Justice, TSO
Date: 2014-Sep
A new book examined life in immigration removal centres, based on fieldwork conducted in six British centres. The book looked at the culture and politics of detention and the impact of the system on the lives of detainees. It discussed related issues such as state power and the legacies of colonialism under conditions of globalization.
Source: Mary Bosworth, Inside Immigration Detention, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Sep
A new book examined the politics of Muslim integration and related policy in Germany and Great Britain, examining how salient discourses of citizenship framed the discussion about integration in Europe. The book argued for a redefinition of citizenship to account for its contested nature and competing discourses.
Source: Aleksandra Lewicki, Social Justice through Citizenship? The politics of Muslim integration in Germany and Great Britain, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Aug
A special issue of a journal examined the economic and social impacts of migration policy.
Source: National Institute Economic Review, Volume 229 Number 1
Links: Table of contents | Guardian report | New Statesman report
Notes: Articles included:
Giovanni Facchini and Elisabetta Lodigiani, 'Attracting skilled immigrants: an overview of recent policy developments in advanced countries'
Katerina Lisenkova, Marcel Merette, and Miguel Sanchez-Martinez, 'The long-term economic impact of reducing migration in the UK'
Yvonni Markaki, 'Public support for immigration restriction in the United Kingdom: resource scarcity, ethnicity or poor origins?'
Date: 2014-Aug
A think-tank report examined the economic and demographic consequences of large-scale immigration, mainly based on evidence from the United Kingdom. It said that projected population growth from immigration would result in faster economic growth and an initial increase in the proportion of the UK population of working age. However, the report argued that the increase in gross domestic product per capita would be marginal, and the economic benefits would depend on the skills of the migrants and could be outweighed by the pressures on facilities such as housing, land, schools, hospitals, water supply, and the transport system. The report also considered the impact of past migration to the UK.
Source: Robert Rowthorn, Large-scale Immigration: Its economic and demographic consequences for the UK, Civitas
Links: Report | Civitas press release | Independent report | New Statesman report
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined the difficulties experienced by new refugees to the United Kingdom when accessing mainstream benefits and the labour market. It said that, once refugee status was granted, moving from the system of asylum support to mainstream benefits and employment usually took much longer than the 28-day 'grace period' given by the government and that, in the meantime, many new refugees became destitute. The report made a range of recommendations, including: for the grace period to be extended to 40 days, starting from receipt of various initial application forms (which should all be distributed at the same time); for continuing asylum support regardless of time period to be piloted; and for better information on available help, better dissemination of policy on refugees, and better jobcentre staff training on the issue of refugee transition.
Source: Pauline Carnet, Catherine Blanchard, and Fabio Apollonio, The Move-On Period: An ordeal for new refugees, British Red Cross
Links: Report | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A report said that there was strong public support for international student migration, and that the public appeared to understand that they brought economic and educational benefits. The report discussed the migration status of students, and recommended that the government should remove international students from net migration targets, develop an international student growth strategy, and enhance opportunities for qualified international graduates to remain in the United Kingdom.
Source: International Students and the UK Immigration Debate, British Future/Universities UK
Links: Report | UUK press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined the provision of legal advice to people seeking international protection in three European Union member states: Estonia; the Republic of Ireland; and the United Kingdom. It said that access to early legal advice for asylum-seekers (prior to receiving a first instance decision on their applications) had wide-ranging benefits for all stakeholders in the asylum process, including increased confidence on all sides and higher quality decision-making, but provision could be undermined by the process itself (such as when applicants were moved between locations), and by difficulties with obtaining evidence. It recommended the provision of funding, quality controls, and for the asylum procedure to be streamlined.
Source: Bridget Anderson and Sue Conlan, Providing Protection: Access to early legal advice for asylum seekers, Asylum Aid/Centre on Migration, Policy and Society/Estonian Human Rights Centre/Irish Refugee Council
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Aug
A think-tank report examined the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses in England, and how it compared with other countries. It said that ESOL funding had reduced by 40 per cent over the past five years, but there were large waiting lists and, although the Skills Funding Agency and individual further education colleges attempted to meet needs from unregulated and discretionary sources of funding, this was not sustainable. The report made a range of recommendations, including: for student-style loans for funding courses; for greater support from employers and local authorities; for funds to be diverted from translation of documents and into ESOL; for a role for further education colleges in conducting needs assessments; and for a coherent national strategy.
Source: Ally Paget and Neil Stevenson, On Speaking Terms, Demos
Links: Report | Summary | Demos press release | NIACE press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A report provided findings from a research project that had examined the legal assistance systems in place for unaccompanied children in various migration and asylum procedures in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The research had looked at issues related to accessing legal assistance (such as rights to free legal assistance, information provided to unaccompanied children, referral systems, and procedural and practical obstacles in accessing available assistance), and the quality assurance of the assistance provided.
Source: Helene Soupios-David, with Elona Bokshi, Maria Hennessy, and Silvia Cravesana, Right to Justice: Quality legal assistance for unaccompanied children, European Council on Refugees and Exiles
Links: Report | Summary | Annexe 1 | Annexe 2 | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined complaints handling in immigration removal centres in the United Kingdom, and whether this had improved since the publication of a critical report in 2008. It said that, while some areas had improved, time scales for replies to complainants were not being consistently met, and there were frequent problems with the quality, scale, and impartiality of investigations. Recommendations included: to increase transparency and scrutiny of complaints handling, with an independent overview of the process and a strengthened and clarified role for independent monitoring boards; to introduce standards for investigation, and for healthcare complaints to meet National Health Service complaints standards; to improve learning from complaints; and for direct access to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, rather than through MPs.
Source: Christine Hogg, Biased and Unjust: The immigration detention complaints process, Medical Justice
Links: Report | Summary | MRN press release
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined the connection between the demonization, exploitation, and exclusion of new migrant workers in the United Kingdom, and the key role of citizenship in their vulnerability to exploitation, and as a means to make rights claims.
Source: Mick Wilkinson, 'Demonising "the other": British government complicity in the exploitation, social exclusion and vilification of new migrant workers', Citizenship Studies, Volume 18 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined the use of internal protection (also known in the United Kingdom as 'internal relocation' or 'internal flight alternative'), where it was assumed that an applicant for refugee status could be safe to return to a different area of their home country. The report examined the use of internal protection at all levels of decision-making, how it was applied, how its safety and reasonableness was assessed, and, in particular, how it took account of the vulnerability of applicants.
Source: "Even If...": The use of the Internal Protection Alternative in asylum decisions in the UK, Asylum Aid
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
A new book examined immigration in multilevel states, considering the themes of governance and political parties. It examined how, and by whom, immigration policy was decided and implemented at different territorial levels across six European countries, including the United Kingdom.
Source: Eve Hepburn and Ricard Zapata-Barrero, The Politics of Immigration in Multi-Level States: Governance and political parties, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Jul
A report (by an official advisory body) said that low-skilled work in the United Kingdom accounted for 13 million jobs, two million of which (16 per cent) were held by migrants, split 60:40 non-EEA:EEA (European Economic Area) migrants. The report said that migrant workers overall had not had a significant impact on pay, UK employment, or areas such as housing, healthcare, or education over the last 20 years, but five themes had emerged from the committee's investigation, which should be taken into account in future policy: that key regulatory bodies were under-resourced, and penalties for breaching the regulations were inadequate, leaving workers at risk of exploitation; that there were concerns about the youth labour market in the context of low-skilled work and migration; that there should be greater recognition of, and support for, the economic and social impact of migration on local areas; that demand for migrant labour was strongly influenced by institutions and public policies not directly related to immigration (such as labour market regulation, investment in education and training, and pay levels); and that member states could learn lessons from the 2004 European Union enlargement.
Source: Migrants in Low-Skilled Work: The growth of EU and non-EU labour in low-skilled jobs and its impact on the UK, Migration Advisory Committee
Links: Report | Summary | MAC press release
Date: 2014-Jul
A report examined the policies and administrative practices that shaped third-country nationals' access to social security, including healthcare, in European Union member states. It said there was substantial variation in practice, with complex rules and practices that shaped migrants' access to services, and that take-up of eligibility was sometimes affected by the availability of translation, interpretation, and advice services, while eligibility in many states negatively influenced migrants' legal status when seeking permissions such as permit renewals or long-term residency.
Source: Migrant Access to Social Security and Healthcare: Policies and practice, European Commission
Date: 2014-Jul
A new book examined whether the Common European Asylum System complied with the rights of the child.
Source: Ciara Smyth, European Asylum Law and the Rights of the Child, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Jul
A think-tank report examined the approaches to, and experiences with, integration policy for immigrants to the United Kingdom.
Source: Sundas Ali and Ben Gidley, Advancing Outcomes for All Minorities: Experiences of mainstreaming immigrant integration policy in the United Kingdom, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
A report examined the Adult Dependent Relative Rules that provided for elderly parents or grandparents of permanent United Kingdom residents and British citizens to apply to join their family in the United Kingdom. The report considered: the policy justifications behind the rules; the number of applications made and granted before and after rule changes in 2012; the impact of the rules on families and specifically on children; whether there was a disproportionate detriment from the rules to children from a migrant background; and whether the best interests of the child had been taken into account in drafting and implementing the rules. The report concluded that the rules were unnecessarily harsh, and were not justified in fiscal terms or in controlling net migration. The report said that the rules had effectively closed off this visa category and ignored the best interests of the child, with children significantly impacted as a direct result of the rules. The report made a range of recommendations.
Source: Harsh, Unjust, Unnecessary: Report on the impact of the Adult Dependent Relative Rules on families and children, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
A report said that the Azure card and section 4 support (a cashless system used to provide basic provisions for refused asylum-seekers who were deemed destitute and could not return home) did not meet basic needs or allow people to live with dignity. It said that the system created unnecessary suffering for people who were already in desperate situations, and called for the Azure payment card to be abolished, and for one integrated form of cash payment support throughout the asylum-seeking process.
Source: Pauline Carnet, Catherine Blanchard, and Jonathan Ellis, The Azure Payment Card: The humanitarian cost of a cashless system, British Red Cross
Links: Report | BRC press release | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined the findings from research in south east England on the interactions between disabled forced migrants with care needs and professionals, as well as the legal, policy, and practice context within which the work took place. It said that the legal status of forced migrants had a significant effect on their entitlements and resulted in prolonged periods of destitution for many families. It discussed barriers to responding to care needs, including: national asylum support policies; difficult working relationships with the UK Border Agency; and higher eligibility thresholds and reduced social care budgets of local authorities. The article concluded that the research raised ethical issues for professionals and posed profound questions about whether and how policies, provision, and practice facilitated the meeting of the human rights of forced migrants with care needs.
Source: Gudbjorg Ottosdottir and Ruth Evans, 'Ethics of care in supporting disabled forced migrants: interactions with professionals and ethical dilemmas in health and social care in the south-east of England', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 44 Supplement 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper examined evidence on the relationship between poverty and refugees and asylum-seekers in the United Kingdom, focusing on the experiences of poverty, how poverty changed over time and differed across the country, and strategies to prevent and reduce poverty among forced migrants. It said that there were many, often intersectional, pathways into poverty, cross cut by other forms of disadvantage based on gender, disability, ethnicity, age, and LGBT status. It said that, for many, the asylum system itself (particularly the policy of deterrence through 'enforced destitution') was a source of vulnerability, particularly at points of transition (such as on entering paid work). The paper said that reducing the incidence of poverty would improve the quality and fairness of the asylum process, and lead to improved refugee health, well-being, and integration.
Source: Jennifer Allsopp, Nando Sigona, and Jenny Phillimore, Poverty among Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK: An evidence and policy review, Institute for Research into Superdiversity (University of Birmingham)
Links: Paper | Migrant Rights Network press release
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper examined innovative and transferable good practice examples of migrant integration practices that had been undertaken by civil society and local institutions across European member states. It said that the majority of widely publicized examples were networks of cities and urban centres, and found that key issues included: governance and funding structures; the clear understanding of needs of migrants and wider society; information sharing; and the impact of the economic downturn on integration outcomes. It concluded that civil society, with its inherent flexibility, was well placed to play a pivotal role in integration, particularly as diversity increased within the European Union.
Source: Rachel Humphris, Practising Integration in the EU: Mapping initiatives and innovations by local institutions and civil society, Institute for Research into Superdiversity (University of Birmingham)
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper said that there were over six million working age adults in the United Kingdom who were born abroad, with the proportion having doubled between 1995 and late 2013 and 28 per cent of the total having arrived from European Union countries. The paper said that: most European Union arrivals were for work-related reasons, while most non-European Union arrivals were for study-related reasons; most immigrants were better educated than their United Kingdom-born counterparts; and immigrants were over-represented in the very high-skilled and very low-skilled occupations. It said that the immigrant share in new jobs had always been broadly the same as the share of immigrants in the working age population, that there were economic benefits associated with migration (such as filling gaps in the labour market), and that there was little evidence of an overall negative impact on jobs or wages.
Source: Jonathan Wadsworth, Immigration, the European Union and the UK labour market, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
Date: 2014-Jun
The borders and immigration inspectorate examined the efficiency and effectiveness of the application process for European Economic Area nationals seeking registration certificates, as well as for non-EEA partners and spouses applying for residence cards. The report also looked at Home Office practices around fraudulent applications for European documents, in particular applications through marriages of convenience (sham marriage), and the investigative and enforcement activity that took place in such cases. The report said that the refusal decisions made were of good quality, with 28 of 29 refusals deemed reasonable, and the backlog of cases had been cleared by April 2014, but there was a lack of strategy on sham marriages across departments and prosecution levels of those found to be using deception were low. It made recommendations for improvements in a wide range of areas including: the retention of documents; management information on performance; more timely issue of registration certificates and residence cards; the removal of refused applicants; and investigation of sham marriages (which had been the subject of an earlier report).
Source: The Rights of European Citizens and their Spouses to Come to the UK: Inspecting the application process and the tackling of abuse, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
Links: Report | Sham marriage report | ICI press release
Date: 2014-Jun
An article examined supranational institutions and 'communitarization', and their impact on the development of asylum policy in the European Union.
Source: Ariadna Ripoll Servent and Florian Trauner, 'Do supranational EU institutions make a difference? EU asylum law before and after "communitarization"', Journal of European Public Policy, Volume 21 Issue 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper considered recent academic debate on social relations in super-diverse contexts, and the role of the neighbourhood regarding social relations. The paper also discussed empirical qualitative data from an ethnographic study undertaken by the author in the London borough of Hackney.
Source: Susanne Wessendorf, Researching Social Relations in Super-Diverse Neighbourhoods: Mapping the field, Institute for Research into Superdiversity (University of Birmingham)
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper examined the asylum procedure for the UK, examined the process in Northern Ireland, and outlined a range of issues and concerns for refugees and asylum seekers. It said that, while asylum policy was not devolved, Northern Ireland departments had related responsibilities (such as health care, legal aid, and education), and concerns had been raised regarding: access to disaggregated data for Northern Ireland to enable better organisation of services; complications with the asylum process due the specific situation of Northern Ireland; access to health care for unsuccessful asylum applicants; treatment and safety of child asylum seekers; oversight of detention and removal facilities in Northern Ireland; and integration of refugees, in the absence of an integration strategy.
Source: Michael Potter, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Northern Ireland, Research Paper 63/14, Northern Ireland Assembly
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jun
A new book examined the treatment of children's rights in European asylum law and policy and, in particular, whether the Common European Asylum System complied with the rights of the child.
Source: Ciara Smyth, European Asylum Law and the Rights of the Child, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Jun
A new book examined asylum policy in the European Union and the effect of recent attempts at harmonization on the identification and protection of refugees. It questioned whether law and policy was upholding the right to asylum as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, considered the extent of state obligations and the motivations of European legislators and legislation, and made recommendations for change to protect refugees.
Source: Helen O'Nions, Asylum – A Right Denied: A critical analysis of European asylum policy, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Jun
A report examined the experiences in the United Kingdom of newly-granted refugees during their first year and, in particular, their needs and experiences during the initial 28 day grace period before their asylum support (accommodation and cash payments) ceased. It said that people experienced difficulties in finding alternative accommodation within this 28 day timescale, causing cases of homelessness (including street homelessness). It said that some refugees reported that they did not have the identity documents and immigration status evidence required to access services, suffered delays in benefits claims, found it difficult to find work, or, in some areas, could not access support services. The report made a range of recommendations, including that the Home Office should continue to support refugees until they had full access to other means of support.
Source: Lisa Doyle, 28 Days Later: Experiences of new refugees in the UK, Refugee Council
Links: Report | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2014-May
The Immigration Act 2014 was given Royal assent. The Act provided for a range of changes regarding immigration practices and procedures, including: to amend the rights and processes of the appeal procedure, including provisions with regard to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; to introduce new powers to regulate migrants' access to housing and services, including the National Health Service; to introduce new powers to investigate 'sham' relationships; to make changes to the regulatory system for advice provision; to make changes regarding embarkation checks; to make provision for the removal of citizenship; and to provide for fees to be levied in connection with immigration matters.
Source: Immigration Act 2014, Home Office, TSO
Links: Act | Explanatory notes | Explanatory notes | Home Office/UK Visas and Immigration/Border Force press release
Date: 2014-May
A think-tank report examined the demographics, geography, life experiences, attitudes, and socio-economic status of the five largest minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom (Indian, Pakistani, Black African, Black Caribbean, and Bangladeshi). It said that Black and minority ethnic communities would continue to increase (making up almost one third of the UK population by 2050), that the communities were geographically concentrated in a few, very large cities (especially London, Birmingham, and Manchester), and that there were differences between the communities that were important for policy-makers and politicians to understand. Drawing on data from existing survey sources (the 2011 Census, Understanding Society, and the 2010 Ethnic Minority British Election Study), the report chapters covered: community origins; population; geography; citizenship and identity; religion; household composition; economic activity; health; education; media; and politics and civic engagement.
Source: Rishi Sunak and Saratha Rajeswaran, A Portrait of Modern Britain, Policy Exchange
Links: Report | Summary | Policy Exchange press release | JRF blog
Date: 2014-May
A paper examined the impacts of United Kingdom welfare reforms on refugee families living in London. It said that the reforms did not take into account the needs of refugee families and that systematic failures from public services were leaving many new refugee families without, or with insufficient, support to meet their basic living needs. It said that the reforms also affected health, including increased levels of distress and anxiety, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Source: Indira Kartallozi, 21st Century London Outcasts: Welfare reforms and their impacts on refugee families living in London, Centre for Social Justice and Change, University of East London
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-May
A think-tank report examined the labour market integration of recent immigrants to the United Kingdom, based on Labour Force Survey data. It said that newly arrived immigrants were more likely than non-migrants to be in the lowest-skilled jobs, that those who entered after 2008 found it more difficult to get work, and that newcomers' occupational mobility and employment outcomes were influenced by their countries of origin, levels of education, and time since arrival. The report was part of a series of six case studies on labour market outcomes among immigrants to European Union countries – the other case study countries were: Czech Republic; France; Germany; Spain; and Sweden. The second phase of the study would evaluate the effectiveness of integration and workforce development policies.
Source: Tommaso Frattini, Moving Up the Ladder? Labor market outcomes in the United Kingdom amid rising immigration, Migration Policy Institute
Date: 2014-May
A paper examined the relationship over time between immigration and access to social housing in the United Kingdom.
Source: Diego Battiston, Richard Dickens, Alan Manning, and Jonathan Wadsworth, Immigration and the Access to Social Housing in the UK, Discussion Paper 1264, Centre for Economic Performance (London School of Economics)
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Apr
The High Court (Administrative Court) ruled that the decision by the Home Secretary not to increase the rate of asylum support should now be reconsidered, having been based on errors and omissions.
Source: Refugee Action, R (On the Application Of) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department, High Court (Administrative Court) 9 April 2014
Links: Judgement | Childrens Society press release | Refugee Action press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2014-Apr
A report by a committee of MPs said that the transition to new regional, private sector contracts for the provision of housing for destitute asylum-seekers had 'not gone well'. The report said that the first year of operation had seen delays, additional costs incurred, poor quality housing provision, poor management by the government department, and ineffective partnership working between the department and the contractors.
Source: COMPASS: Provision of asylum accommodation, Fifty-fourth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 1000, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | BBC report | Inside Housing report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the family returns process for families that would not leave the United Kingdom voluntarily after being refused asylum, based on experiences at Cedars, a pre-departures centre in Gatwick, England. The process had been introduced in 2011, following the closure of Yarls Wood, in order to avoid the detention of children. The report said that the new system had considerably improved the experience of children and families in the 'ensured return' part of the immigration process, and that reduced numbers of children were now being held prior to removal. It said that there were still particular concerns about children being separated from their parents for the purposes of immigration control, the arrest and escort of families to and from Cedars, and non-compliant behaviour management. It also raised concern about cases where families left the Cedars but remained in the UK, and the quality of available housing. The report made recommendations.
Source: Cedars: Two years on, Barnardo's
Links: Report | Barnardos press release
Date: 2014-Apr
A new book examined the key migration concepts as used in classrooms, among policymakers, and in popular and academic discourse. Arguing that there was a need for a better public understanding of migration, it aimed to clarify the field by exploring relevant concepts.
Source: David Bartram, Maritsa Poros, and Pierre Monforte, Key Concepts in Migration, SAGE
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Apr
A paper examined migrants' settlement into the London area, drawing on the 2011 census. It said that there were distinct patterns of settlement for migrants from 'rich' and 'poor' countries, which operated differently inside and outside the green belt, with implications for the infrastructure and labour economies of particular districts.
Source: Kerwin Datu, Settlement patterns of rich- and poor-country migrants into the London metropolitan region since 2001, London School of Economics
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Apr
A study examined experiences of pregnant women in Glasgow whose asylum claim had been refused. Although the study found that their insecure immigration status did not appear to preclude or constrain their access to maternity care, the report highlighted a range of asylum-related policies that had a detrimental impact on their health and well-being, such as enforced destitution, or providing cashless support. The report noted that some asylum seeking women were not aware of their entitlements to additional pregnancy or health-related support, particularly reimbursement or payment of travel costs. Some had also reported difficulties with the provision of interpreting. The report made recommendations.
Source: Sylvie Da Lomba and Nina Murray, Women and Children First? Refused asylum seekers' access to and experiences of maternity care in Glasgow, Scottish Refugee Council
Links: Report | Summary | SRC press release | SNP press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined demographic variations between ethnic groups in England and Wales in terms of household size. Convergence over time of the number of children per household was interpreted as a fall from high fertility immediately after immigration. Stable high numbers of adults per household among Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi groups suggested a continued demand for larger houses. The article said that there was relatively little relationship between household size and local co-ethnic concentrations.
Source: Gemma Catney and Ludi Simpson, 'How persistent is demographic variation between ethnic groups? The case of household size in England and Wales', Population, Space and Place, Volume 20 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
A paper examined the relationship between migration motivations and intended durations of stay and subsequent early integration among recent east-west European migrants from Poland to London, Germany, the Netherlands, and Dublin. The paper concluded that the results demonstrated a need to understand the diversity of migrant types and trajectories, in order to explain migrant outcomes in different contexts.
Source: Renee Luthra, Lucinda Platt, and Justyna Salamonska, Migrant Diversity, Migration Motivations and Early Integration: The case of Poles in Germany, the Netherlands, London and Dublin, Institute for Social & Economic Research (University of Essex)
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Apr
A think-tank report examined the arguments regarding free movement within the European Union. It said that the removal of such rights would be a retrograde step, but argued for modest reforms to address a range of factors of perceived public or political concern.
Source: Alex Glennie and Jenny Pennington, Europe, Free Movement and the UK: Charting a new course, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Apr
The children's watchdog for England said that their research into the operation of the United Kingdom asylum system had found hundreds of unaccompanied children and young people being left 'in limbo', where they had been given final permission to remain but were not yet old enough to gain legal employment or claim benefits. Other key findings in the report included: that there was an unresolved conflict between the leaving care and immigration legislation; that no single agency owned the duty to ensure that unaccompanied children secured legal representation; and that the prospect of detention (if refused leave to stay) meant that some young people disengaged from services and went underground, leaving them more vulnerable.
Source: "What's Going to Happen Tomorrow?" Unaccompanied children refused asylum, Office of the Children's Commissioner
Links: Report | OCC press release | Coram press release | Refugee Council press release
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the impact of inward migration on native workers' employment in the United Kingdom. It said that, overall, there was relatively little evidence that migration had caused statistically significant displacement of UK workers from the labour market during periods of economic strength, but there was evidence of some displacement during the most recent recession. It noted the likely impact of migration volumes on the displacement effects, and said that the displacement tended to be more concentrated on low-skilled workers.
Source: Ciaran Devlin, Olivia Bolt, Dhiren Patel, David Harding, and Ishtiaq Hussain, Impacts of Migration on UK Native Employment: An analytical review of the evidence, Occasional Paper 109, Home Office/Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2014-Mar
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers raised concerns about the implications of provisions in the Immigration Bill, currently proceeding through the House of Lords. The committee raised particular concern about: a new clause, which would enable the government to remove United Kingdom citizenship from naturalized citizens whilst they were overseas; the impact of the Bill's provisions on children and dependents; and the protection of rights to a fair hearing/appeal.
Source: Legislative Scrutiny: Immigration Bill (second report), Twelfth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 1120 and HL 142, Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, TSO
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the Human Provenance Pilot Project (HPPP), which evaluated the use of genetic and isotope testing to corroborate United Kingdom asylum-seekers' accounts of their nationality. It discussed the 'socio-technical' aspects of the project and the transfer of testing from the policing context to the asylum context. It considered the implications of the project for academic research, policy advice, and the asylum system.
Source: Richard Tutton, Christine Hauskeller, and Steve Sturdy, 'Suspect technologies: forensic testing of asylum seekers at the UK border', Ethnic and Racial Studies, Volume 37 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
A think-tank report examined attitudes and policy on migration in the United Kingdom and set out ideas for a new approach (referred to as the 'Fair Deal') to inform policy.
Source: A Fair Deal on Migration for the UK, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Mar
A paper examined the use by European Union member states of sanctions for irregular (non-legal) migration, and the risk to those deemed to help migrants. The paper proposed changes to policies against the smuggling of human beings, to take better regard of fundamental rights.
Source: Criminalisation of Migrants in an Irregular Situation and of Persons Engaging with Them, European Agency for Fundamental Rights
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that despite earlier recommendations, data of people entering and leaving the United Kingdom was not collected, and the stated goal of full exit checks by 2015 was unrealistic. The committee raised concerns that the government's decision not to commission estimates on the number of Romanians and Bulgarians entering the UK had increased anti-immigrant prejudice. The report highlighted a range of other concerns, including: the lack of evidence regarding alleged 'benefits tourism'; the supply of workers for some sectors; contractual arrangements for work on the Migration Refusal Pool; border controls and alternative routes to citizenship; the detention of vulnerable people and children; the length of time taken to assess new asylum applications; and the lack of progress in clearing backlogs from the Border Agency.
Source: The Work of the Immigration Directorates (April-September 2013), Fifteenth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 820, House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | BBC report
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined whether a large intake of immigrants reduces welfare state effort in developed (OECD) countries. Little evidence was found to support the argument that steady increases in immigration led to public pressure for lower levels of publicly funded social spending. It said that, although immigration did have a relatively modest effect on the welfare state, if anything a greater influx of immigrants had led policy-makers to increase welfare state spending.
Source: Noel Gaston and Gulasekaran Rajaguru, 'International migration and the welfare state revisited', European Journal of Political Economy, Volume 29
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
The Immigration Bill was given a third reading. The Bill was designed to introduce a range of changes regarding immigration practices and procedures, including: to amend the rights and processes of the appeal procedure, including provisions with regard to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; to introduce new powers to regulate migrants' access to housing and services, including the National Health Service; to introduce new powers to investigate 'sham' relationships; to make changes to the regulatory system for advice provision; to make changes regarding embarkation checks; and to provide for fees to be levied in connection with immigration matters.
Source: Immigration Bill, Home Office, TSO | Debate 31 January 2014, columns 1121-1132, House of Commons Hansard, TSO
Links: Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined human smuggling and trafficking across Europe. It said that people were trafficked from across the world, often through the primary transit routes that were used for trade. It said that the barriers to entry in Europe had led to the creation of a variety of 'facilitators', both those who were organized and willing participants, and others who unwittingly aided the process. It said there was a problem of corruption among officials. The report called upon policy makers to address the demand for migrants through education, prevention, prosecution, and improvements in labour laws, and for countries to harmonize their efforts.
Source: Louise Shelley, Human Smuggling and Trafficking into Europe: A comparative perspective, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Feb
The government responded to a report by a joint committee of MPs and peers on the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children to the UK.
Source: Human Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Young People in the UK, Cm 8778, Home Office, TSO
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined Scottish public opinion about immigration to Scotland. Drawing on data from a commissioned survey of households in England, Scotland, and Wales, it said that overall attitudes to immigration in Scotland were less negative than in the rest of Britain, that public opinion differentiated between types of immigrants, and that the results showed a complex relationship between immigration attitudes and constitutional issues.
Source: Immigration and Independence: Public opinion on immigration in Scotland in the context of the referendum debate, Migration Observatory (University of Oxford)
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the determinants of anti-immigration attitudes in Europe, focusing on the impact of regional characteristics. Regions with a higher percentage of immigrants born outside the European Union, and a higher unemployment rate among the immigrant population, showed a higher probability of natives expressing negative attitudes to immigration. Regions with a higher unemployment rate among natives, however, showed less pronounced anti-immigrant attitudes.
Source: Yvonni Markaki and Simonetta Longhi, 'What determines attitudes to immigration in European countries? An analysis at the regional level', Migration Studies, Migration Studies, Volume 1 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
See also: Yvonni Markaki and Simonetta Longhi, What Determines Attitudes to Immigration in European Countries? An analysis at the regional level, Discussion Paper 33/12, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (University College London)
Date: 2014-Feb
The government published further reports from its ongoing review of the European Union's competences, and how they affected the United Kingdom, which the Foreign Secretary had launched in July 2012.
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Single Market – Free movement of goods, HM Revenue & Customs
Links: Report | Supplementary papers | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Asylum and non-EU migration, Home Office
Links: Report | Evidence | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Trade and investment, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Links: Report | Supplementary papers | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Environment and climate change, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Links: Report | Supplementary papers | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Transport, Department for Transport
Links: Report | Evidence | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Research and development, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Links: Report | Supplementary paper | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Culture, tourism and sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Links: Report | Supplementary paper | FCO press release
Source: Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Civil judicial cooperation, Ministry of Justice
Links: Report | Supplementary papers | FCO press release
Date: 2014-Feb
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on asylum.
Source: Asylum, Cm 8769, Home Office, TSO
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the impact of private, quasi-market versus public educational systems on European youngsters' attitudes towards immigrants. Quasi-market systems were observed to lead to less support for immigrants' rights, largely due to the higher concentration of immigrant children in low socio-economic status schools in such systems.
Source: Mark Elchardus, Eva Franck, Saskia De Groof, and Dimokritos Kavadias, 'The acceptance of the multicultural society among young people: a comparative analysis of the effect of market-driven versus publicly regulated educational systems', European Sociological Review, Volume 29 Number 4
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined whether minority-ethnic groups showed identity assimilation in the second generation. It concluded that both public and private forms of identification with the majority increased across generations, and minority identities tended to become less salient. This was true across ethnic groups, although there were differences in underlying levels and patterns of identity, reflecting variation in contexts of reception and migration.
Source: Lucinda Platt, 'Is there assimilation in minority groups' national, ethnic and religious identity?', Ethnic and Racial Studies, Volume 37 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
A report examined the experiences of 46 women who had been detained while they sought asylum in the United Kingdom. The report outlined the nature of the violence and persecution that led to the asylum requests, and the impact of their subsequent detention on the mental health of the women. It said that, while in detention, 93 per cent had felt depressed, 85 per cent felt scared, more than half thought about killing themselves and ten women had tried to do so. The report included new official statistics (supplied by the Home Office for the report), which showed that, of the 1,867 women who had sought asylum and who left detention in 2012, 36 per cent were removed from the United Kingdom. The report made recommendations, including to end the detention of female asylum-seekers.
Source: Marchu Girma, Sophie Radice, Natasha Tsangarides, and Natasha Walter, Detained: Women asylum seekers locked up in the UK, Women for Refugee Women
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jan
The government published its response to a consultation on immigration fees and charging. It said that fee proposals would be laid before parliament during February.
Source: Immigration Fees and Charging: Consultation 2013 – response, Home Office
Links: Consultation response | Consultation document
Date: 2014-Jan
A report examined issues relating to migration and the security of national borders, discussing the 'unintended consequences' of border management. It said that policy-makers should focus on principles of good governance and that better co-ordination among institutions and agencies was needed. The report made policy recommendations.
Source: Randall Hansen and Demetrios Papademetriou, Securing Borders: The Intended, unintended, and perverse consequences, Migration Policy Institute
Links: Report | MPI press release
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined the criticisms advanced against multiculturalism. It considered whether ethno-religious groups led 'parallel lives' and, in consequence, failed to integrate with the wider society. It looked in particular at the alleged corrosive effects of multiculturalism, specifically at the maintenance of an ethnic rather than a British identity, social distance from white people, and willingness to contemplate violent protest. No evidence was found that rates of inter-generational change had been slower among ethno-religious groups that had made successful claims for cultural recognition. In contrast, lower levels of integration were associated with perceptions of individual or group discrimination.
Source: Anthony Heath and Neli Demireva, 'Has multiculturalism failed in Britain?', Ethnic and Racial Studies, Volume 37 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined the effects of immigration-generated ethnic diversity on welfare attitudes across 19 developed (OECD) countries. There was no consistent negative link between ethnic diversity and public support for social welfare policies. The interaction between immigration and multiculturalism had a negative effect on popular support: but the relationship disappeared when the generosity of social security policies was taken into account.
Source: Takanori Sumino, 'Does immigration erode the multicultural welfare state? A cross-national multilevel analysis in 19 OECD member states', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 40 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
A paper reviewed existing research on the influence of language in migration decisions, and on labour market and earnings outcomes, in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel and Spain. It noted the cost implications of language proficiency and discussed factors which affected language acquisition and outcomes, such as exposure, economic incentive, and efficiency of acquisition. The paper noted the importance of dominant language proficiency to immigrants' labour market outcomes, but said that further research was needed on the effects on family structure, consumption, and on the social and civic lives of immigrants.
Source: Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller, International Migration and the Economics of Language, Discussion paper 7880, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jan
A report provided an overview of public attitudes to immigration in the United Kingdom, bringing together data from a wide range of sources. The authors published alongside it a shorter report outlining ten key messages.
Source: Bobby Duffy and Tom Frere-Smith, Perceptions and Reality: Public attitudes to immigration, Ipsos MORI
Links: Report | Key messages report
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined whether immigrant integration was facilitated by religious involvement. It was found that successive generations of minority-ethnic respondents appeared to be secularizing; that successive generations were more civically involved than the arriving generation, although less trusting; and that immigrant religiosity promoted civic integration.
Source: Siobhan McAndrew and David Voas, 'Immigrant generation, religiosity and civic engagement in Britain', Ethnic and Racial Studies, Volume 37 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined what motivated political actors to oppose or support immigration. It analyzed the 'framing' strategies employed by political parties during the period from 1999 to 2006, in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Citizenship models did not appear meaningfully to shape the way immigration issues were presented.
Source: Marc Helbling, 'Framing immigration in western Europe', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Volume 40 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
An audit report said that contracts awarded for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers had performed less well than anticipated in some cases, with two providers failing to meet some key performance targets, including the target relating to standards of accommodation and the timescales for housing asylum seekers. It said that two of the providers had experienced negotiation difficulties with existing housing providers. Commercial negotiations regarding contracts and rebates for poor performance were ongoing at the time of the report.
Source: COMPASS Contracts for the Provision of Accommodation for Asylum Seekers, National Audit Office
Links: Report | Summary | NAO press release | British Red Cross press release | Refugee Council press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Jan
A paper examined the relationships between research and policy, at European Union level, on international migration.
Source: Andrew Geddes, Relationships between Research and Policy on Migration in the European Union: A practice-based analysis, Working paper EUI RSCAS 2014/06, European University Institute, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jan
An article drew on participatory action research with asylum-seekers and refugees in Scotland to explore participants' views on mental health problems, stigma, and discrimination. Migration could have adverse effects on mental health and well-being, due to racism and the asylum process; and this was worsened by stigma and discrimination.
Source: Neil Quinn, 'Participatory action research with asylum seekers and refugees experiencing stigma and discrimination: the experience from Scotland', Disability & Society, Volume 29 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan