Immigrants 'must pay extra for health care and education'

Economic migrants should pay extra for the health and education services they use, race relations boss Trevor Phillips has said.

Mr Phillips, head of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, said a 'two-track immigration system' was needed - with additional contributions made by those who stay in the country for only a short time.

Last night Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said the idea would be taken seriously.

Mr Phillips said the system was not equipped to deal with 'shuttle migrants' - people who "virtually commute from Warsaw or Slovenia".

"It's not that we don't want them to come here. But they put a stress on the infrastructure.

"You might say that people who are basically here for work, they and their employers might have to make a contribution, for social insurance for example."

Mr Phillips added: "That would be one track, a kind of semi-citizenship for transitory workers where temporary migrants pay for public services such as health, education and welfare before being entitled to work here.

"Then there needs to be another track for people who want to come and be British. There are lots of people who like what we are and want to be part of it."

Mr Phillips blamed public concern about immigration on "bad Government planning." He went on:

"It's not controlled and not managed. There are definitely issues of competence over the numbers coming here."

The Government predicted only 13,000 arrivals each year from Eastern Europe following EU expansion in May 2004 - there have been more than 700,000.

Mr Phillips said all immigrants must learn English, and that the days of council-funded interpreters and translations on tap are over.

He added: "When we've surveyed this, the people who are most keen that immigrants learn English are former immigrants. They know that if you don't have English you are shut out."

The intervention will intensify pressure on the Government to toughen controls on foreign workers, and to reduce the impact they are having on public services.

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Yesterday, Gordon Brown repeatedly ducked questions over whether he was happy with the record level of immigration in the last ten years.

But Government sources insisted that 'radical' ideas were under consideration.

There were also indications the Home Office wants to maintain existing restrictions on the right of Romanians and Bulgarians to work here.

Its decision, along with an assessment of the strain migrants are placing on public services, will be announced on October 17.

A 'two-track' immigration system would be achievable for those from outside the EU, who would arrive on short-term work permits.

One option would be to ask the migrant, their employer or both to pay a chunk of 'social insurance' cash in advance of arrival to cover likely expenditure on public services.

But, for migrants within the EU - such as Poles who work for short periods to earn as much money as possible, then return home - it would be fraught with difficulties.

Under EU law, they are entitled to the same services and benefits as Britons and any change would be hard if not impossible to secure.

Mr Byrne said: "I think the idea of earned citizenship is important. Trevor is an important voice in this debate and I take what he says seriously."