UK to announce new steps to curb immigration

Britain's coalition government has promised to introduce new measures to curb immigration that has allegedly contributed to an increase in population as revealed in latest official figures.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed that the population of the UK was 61.8 million in mid-2009, which amounted to an increase of 394,000 on the previous year.

Responding to the figures, Immigration minister Damian Green said: "Over the coming weeks and months the public will see us tackle this issue by introducing a wide range of new measures to ensure that immigration is properly controlled, including a limit on work permits, actions on marriage and an effective system of regulating the students who come here."

The minister said the new government intended to reduce immigration numbers back to 1990s levels.

The figures showed a total population increase of 2.7 million compared with 2001. Green said: "We believe that immigration has been far too high in recent years, which is why the new government will reduce net migration back down to the levels of the 1990s to tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands."

Britain recently announced higher English language requirements for Indian and other non-European Union spouses of British citizens and residents migrating to Britain.

The coalition government has also announced that it will impose an annual cap on the number of skilled professionals from outside the European Union who could come to Britain for work.

The proposed cap, however, has been criticised by industry leaders who believe it will restrict their ability to recruit the right kind of professionals. Imposing such a cap will ultimately adversely affect British economy, they say.