Yesterday, following Neil O’Brien’s discovery that HMRC have stopped publishing data on tax contributions by nationality, I wrote to Financial Secretary to the Treasury Nigel Huddleston MP asking him to reverse this decision.
Neil’s article also revealed that the DWP have stopped publishing data on welfare claims by nationality. Again, I don’t think there’s a reasonable argument in favour of that, so I have written to the new DWP Minister Mel Stride MP asking him to reverse this decision. Once again; to make well-informed policy-making decisions around immigration we need more data, not less!
My letter is below: if you want to write to Mel too, you can do so at: ministers@dwp.gov.uk
Dear Mr Stride
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the recent decision of your Department to cease publication of the annual Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients statistics in August 2021.
Data collection plays a crucial role in understanding and identifying trends and patterns that inform policy development. Without accurate and up-to-date data, it becomes exceedingly difficult to make well-informed policy decisions.
Despite 13 years of promises to get immigration under control, numbers have continued to rise and, last year, inward migration into the UK reached 1.2M. Given the scale of immigration, it is vital we understand the pressure that a population increase of this scale places on our public services, including our welfare system.
Your colleague Jo Churchill made a statement to the House on 9 January 2024 stating that publication of this information had ceased on the grounds that ‘the information contained in the release reflected the nationality status of the benefit claimants at the point of National Insurance number (NINo) registration, which does not necessarily reflect the nationality at the point of claiming the benefit.’
Given that your department does not publish data on nationality at the point of claiming benefit either, this is clearly inadequate reasoning to cease publication.
Having this information publicly available is vital to build up an informed understand of the medium and long-term economic implications of immigration – particularly given the rapid increase and shifting demographics of inward migration following post-Brexit changes in immigration policy. Understanding what pressures immigration is placing on our welfare system would allow us to have a fair and balanced debate, leading to well-informed policy-making, rather than relying on guesswork.
I am also concerned at process by which this decision appears to have been reached, as I can find no evidence that this decision was put out for consultation, nor that it was a Ministerial decision.
I respectfully urge you to reconsider this decision and reinstate the collection of this data, demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based policymaking. I would also ask that you give consideration to the publication of data on the nationality at the point of claiming benefit as well; data like this is essential for making well-informed policy-making decisions, and we need far more, rather than less.
The publication of this data would undoubtedly help foster transparency and accountability, ensuring that future debate around immigration policy is conducted with full understanding of the facts.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Cllr Tom Jones.