Migration

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the percentage change in net UK migration was in each of the last three years. (211983)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 17 June 2008:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question about the percentage change in net UK migration in each of the last three years. (211983)

The annual percentage changes, in UK immigration, emigration and net migration, are shown in the table below:

*InflowOutflowNet migration*
	Number	Percentage change	Number	Percentage change	Number	Percentage change¹
2003	508	—	-361	—	147	—
2004	586	15	-342	-5	244	66
2005	563	-4	-359	5	204	-16
2006	591	5	-400	11	191	-6
^l. When analysing migration, ONS seeks to avoid using percentage changes in net migration, instead preferring to quote percentage changes of immigration and emigration data separately. Percentages based on the differences between immigration and emigration can give a misleading impression of the scale of change, particularly when net migration in the base year in the calculation is close to zero.

These are the latest available official estimates.

Volume 477: debated on Tuesday 17 June 2008