Memorandum by Dungannon and South Tyrone
Council
1. What are the numbers and characteristics
of recent immigration? How do the characteristics of EU migrants
differ from other migrant groups?
Stemming long term trends of outward migration
there has been new steady inward migration to the Borough from
around the year 2000. This is mostly from elsewhere in the European
Union—at first Portuguese citizens but subsequently from
the A8 countries, particularly Lithuania and Poland following
their accession in 2004. There are also smaller numbers of non-EU
migrant workers. As detailed below EU migrants tend to be concentrated
in labour shortage occupations where as non EU migrant workers
in high skills professions.
Dungannon South Tyrone, a largely rural area
with a population of just over 50,000, is the Northern Irish local
government district that has most benefited from inward migration.
Official statistics come from the Northern Ireland Statistics
and Research Agency (NISRA) Mid Year Population Estimates. These
indicate that international migration here in both real terms
and percentage terms migration higher than any other area, including
the cities of Belfast and Derry. The migrant population has increased
from under 1% to constitute an estimated 7-8% of the population
in just over five years.
2. In what sectors and occupations are migrants
employed in how does it differ from local workers?
Migrant workers are concentrated in areas of
the economy where there are labour and skills shortages. In this
area many EU migrants work within the food processing industry
and manufacturing along with smaller numbers in other areas. In
relation to non EU migrants the main sector has been the nursing
and medical sectors. Other areas such as engineering are also
significant. Local persons also work in these sectors along with
other sectors, where often there are few migrant workers. There
is next to full employment in the Borough with the claimant rate
below 2%. Inequalities however are still a sore point including
for many migrants. One key pattern from research it is that migrants
tend to be working in occupations well below their actual level
of skills and experience.
3. What impact has immigration had on the
labour market, including wages, unemployment and working conditions
of UK workforce? Does the impact differ between skilled and unskilled
workers?
We commissioned independent economic impact
research which looks at the above in detail. (McVeigh and Fisher,
2006, appendaged) This research notes that:
— In Northern Ireland there is a broad
consensus (across business and labour perspectives) that migration
has had a positive impact.
— There have been a number of positive
impacts locally including: prevention of staff shortages within
the health sector; the injection of additional spending power
into the local economy and crucially retention of industries (particularly
food processing) that otherwise would have closed causing major
direct loss of employment and a knock on effect with job losses
on farmers, suppliers, the service sector etc.
— As regards impact on employment they
note that as migration has increased, unemployment has fallen
and economic activity risen. It is more complex to establish a
direct causal relationship for the same.
— Notably the negative impacts they
indicate have fallen most heavily on the shoulders of migrant
workers. This is in relation to exploitation, underpayment and
discrimination, which will have a knock on effect on local workers.
In directly addressing the question of
what "impact immigration has on the labour market" it
is important to be explicit and clear about what is an impact
of immigration and what is an impact of other factors. This is
relevant to the issue of wage deflation:
— Clearly where there are cases of
discriminatory or underpayments of migrant workers this can lead
to downward pressure on wages. This is not an impact of immigration
but an impact of exploitation and should be tackled as such through
an employment rights approach that reduces the vulnerability of
migrant workers to abuse.
— There can also be sectors where downward
pressure is being exerted on wages by other factors eg increased
global competition. Migrants may work in such sectors where locals
used to. Migrants are in this case the symptom rather than the
cause of economic change, but this is often confused.
The authors also indicate the need to separate
perception and fact in relation to economic discourse on migration.
4. How does immigration affect public finances?
Do immigrants contribute more in taxes than they use in public
services?
5. How has immigration affected public services
such as health care, education and social housing? How does this
differ across the country?
We feel both these questions are interrelated:
— We are aware of comprehensive research
to this regard conducted by the Institute of Public Policy Research
regarding fiscal impact of immigration. This indicates migrants
are effectively currently subsidising the broader population.
At the same time migrants, as people, should be entitled to public
services and social protection, where costs are determined by
individual needs.
— We are aware of considerable discourse
arguing "migration constitutes a strain on public services"
and are unclear of the logic of this. More migrant workers means
a corresponding additional tax take and hence more revenue for
the same services. What in this context causes strain on public
services is poor or inadequate planning. Just as important is
the need to adapt public services to ensure their accessibility
to migrants.
This is an important distinction as any practices
scapegoating migrants for real or perceived failures in public
provision are highly dangerous. They can feed racist propaganda
of migrants being parasitic and a burden on society. We have had
considerable problems of racist violence within the Borough. In
2005-06 a total of 102 racist incidents were recorded by the police.
Research has identified that there are a number of key factors
informing anti-migrant racism and this includes perceptions on
impact on public finances and provision. In one incident, prompting
the visit of the Lithuanian Ambassador, migrants appear to have
been scapegoated for the lack of affordable housing in the Borough
and their homes attacked. We and others have engaged in a number
of initiatives to challenge racism including discourse scapegoating
migrant workers for health and housing capacity. Subsequently
we have seen a significant fall reported incidents down to 58
in 2006-07.
We do have acute issues in the Borough in relation
to the lack of affordable housing, there are a broad range of
real causes for this. This impacts severely on all persons with
low incomes, including many migrant workers.
6. How can data on immigration be improved?
How far have "inadequate data" affected public policy?
This is directly related to the above issue
of planning and Council did raise concerns with NISRA regarding
the reliability of indicators used to inform Mid Year Population
Estimates. At this time there was reliance on the electoral register
and GP registrations. NISRA have since added other indicators
including National Insurance Numbers and Worker Registration Scheme
data. Whilst we feel figures prior to this may constitute an undercount
we recognise that this has subsequently significantly improved.
Whilst there is always room for enhancement there are adequate
indicators to allow planning of local services to take place.
However this is not always harnessed. The Dungannon South Tyrone
Area Plan published in 2005 by the Department of Environments'
Planning Service did not mention the words "migration"
"immigration" or "migrant workers" at all.
Population increase was mentioned just once, in a different context.
A four way process led by the Department of
Employment and Learning involving central and local government,
NGOs, Unions and Business led to the drawing up of an overarching
migrant worker strategy for Northern Ireland. A research subgroup
of this has looked at improvements in data gathering. Suggestions
have been made at this regarding better information from Revenue
and models such as the Republic of Irelands' Quarterly Household
Survey. We have also urged the inclusion of short term migration
into statistics; public services need to be provided from day
one.
19 September 2007
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