The population of England and Wales continues to grow by 1,000 a day, latest figures show.
Over the past decade the number living in the country has grown by twice the European average, fuelled by record levels of immigration and a higher birth rate.
"Two-thirds of our population increase is down to immigration.
Only Germany and France, which are far bigger, are now home to more people than Britain, the Office for National Statistics said.
Its latest estimates highlight the scale of the challenge faced by ministers
in meeting their goal of reducing net migration – the number who settle each
year minus those who move abroad – to the “tens of thousands” from the
current level of 200,000.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the pressure group Migration Watch UK, said: “It
is absolutely absurd to find that our population is continuing to shoot up
in this way.
“Two-thirds of our population increase is down to immigration. That is the
only element that the Government can control and it is high time they did
so.”
The ONS’s latest
calculations show that the population of England and Wales increased by
95,000 (0.17 per cent) between Census day last year, March 27th, and the
mid-year point, June 30th.
This works out at more than 1,000 people a day, taking the total to 56,170,900.
The population changed over the three months in 2011 as 187,600 babies were born and 121,000 people died.
Some 98,200 foreign nationals moved to Britain with the intention of staying for more than a year, while 68,500 people left the country, putting net migration over the period at 28,400.
The ONS noted: “Immigration flows are comparatively lower for the three-month period between end of March and June.”
Historical figures showed the population of England and Wales has grown by 20million over the past century including a 4m rise in the past decade as border controls with Eastern Europe were relaxed.
“The increase in population between 2001 and 2011 was the largest in percentage terms in the last century,” the ONS said, excluding the Second World War.
The population increased by 7.3 per cent since the turn of the millennium, twice as much as the 3.5 average across the Continent.
England and Wales now has the fourth largest population among 26 nations in Europe, but Britain as a whole is third in the rankings.
In order to reduce net migration, the Home Office is cutting the number of visas offered to international students and restricting the number who can stay after graduation. Only the most skilled foreign workers can take up jobs in Britain and must earn at least £18,600 if they want to bring their spouses over as well.
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This works out at more than 1,000 people a day, taking the total to 56,170,900.
The population changed over the three months in 2011 as 187,600 babies were born and 121,000 people died.
Some 98,200 foreign nationals moved to Britain with the intention of staying for more than a year, while 68,500 people left the country, putting net migration over the period at 28,400.
The ONS noted: “Immigration flows are comparatively lower for the three-month period between end of March and June.”
Historical figures showed the population of England and Wales has grown by 20million over the past century including a 4m rise in the past decade as border controls with Eastern Europe were relaxed.
“The increase in population between 2001 and 2011 was the largest in percentage terms in the last century,” the ONS said, excluding the Second World War.
The population increased by 7.3 per cent since the turn of the millennium, twice as much as the 3.5 average across the Continent.
England and Wales now has the fourth largest population among 26 nations in Europe, but Britain as a whole is third in the rankings.
In order to reduce net migration, the Home Office is cutting the number of visas offered to international students and restricting the number who can stay after graduation. Only the most skilled foreign workers can take up jobs in Britain and must earn at least £18,600 if they want to bring their spouses over as well.
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