Everyone will recall the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and that Goldilocks comes across three bowls of porridge, the first she tries is too salty, the second two sweet and the third just right. Getting the balance right is all important.
Getting the balance right with immigration is all important. Yesterday at Prime Minister’s Questions I asked the Prime Minister in which year would we meet our manifesto commitment to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands. Not surprisingly, perhaps he did not give a specific year.
Inside the European Union with its rules about the free movement of people there is nothing we can do to control the level of immigration into the UK. Just as with the porridge in the story of Goldilocks and the three bears it is important to get the amount of immigration just right. Too little and businesses may not be able to get the skilled staff they need. Too much and there is strain put on our housing, NHS and schools.
David Nuttall 
Perhaps you could tell us that you can guarantee that immigration would be reduced to less than 100000 if we ‘Brexit’ and by when ?
As an ‘older’ pensioner who hasn’t (touch wood) seen a doctor in many years I resent that we who have paid into the system (through NATIONAL Insurance, remember that) for decades are responsible. I have two members of my family who are senior NHS nursing staff, they feel that some of the strain is that migrants don’t register with a GP. They just roll up at ‘hospital’ when they get a problem. No control!!
Sir, immigrants to this country are net contributers to the public purse. As Britain’s native population becomes older, young workers from overseas will become increasingly necessary to both staff and pay for the NHS.
I have worked in the NHS for almost 40 years. It is not immigration that’s the real issue. It’s the lack of funding. The coalition government and the present one have almost decimated the NHS. Immigration is an issue but to blame poor service on immigration is a poor argument.
We pay around £10 billion a year net into the EU budget if we left some of that could go the NHS. In any event I made no mention of poor service!