Keith...



Ha Ha HA HA {chortle}    Oh dear, {wiping eyes.}

How can population figures be accurate if net adjustments (in/out) cannot be trusted?

As I asked above, which population figures do you mean anyway? There's more than one official government population measure. When I started interfering in The NHS, it amazed me to find the registered population (those registered with a GP) can be allowed to be out by 5% before GP practices had to make adjustments. (GP practices were remunerated (GMS) based on pratice list size.) The Audit Commission always qualified health authority (and later PCT) accounts where GP practices were quick to add babies to the list to get paid for them but were not so quick at dropping dead people off, as the system allowed them to work within 5% or so....

Allan. 7 Million coming over? err... Bollocks? The government do not expect that number, not even 5% of that number. The conservative party have used that figure, as have UKIP, BNP and others with an agenda, but just because the conservative party have people in the government, their political posturing is not government figures. The conservative party do not represent the government, they merely work for it. The Home Office is pointing out the measures in place to prevent mass migration from Eastern Europe. The Polish government is moaning about the numbers going back to Poland.

Germany is where the nervousness stands, as they will have to give them full status, unlike the Turkish workers there now. In any event, one of the many facets of EU status is the infrastructure rebuilding programs, so Bulgaria and Romania have jobs a plenty for the near future. OK, we are paying for them, but hey ho, we don't pay all we should be as equal partners, so we are let off lightly.

There shall be some. yes. A family from The Netherlands bought a house near me the other month. Perhaps I should put a Union Jack flag outside my house to make them feel more welcome?

(If Michael is reading this. Yes, I know it isn't a Jack unless it is on a UK registered ship in international or foreign waters.....)