LONDON’S immigrant population has soared in recent years with more than one in four of today’s inhabitants of the capital having been born abroad, research has shown.

In 1991, only one in 20 Londoners gave their birthplace as outside the United Kingdom.

Had no foreign-born people moved to the capital in the decade to 2001, its population would have fallen, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). In Wembley, 52 per cent of residents were born abroad.

More than half of Britain’s recent population growth can be attributed to immigration, the survey found.

Migrants accounted for 1.14 million of the 2.2 million increase in population in Britain between 1991 and 2001. They make up 7.5 per cent of the population, compared with 5.7 per cent in 1991, according to an analysis of census data.

On average, immigrant groups earn more than people born in Britain. However, the study found earnings disparities between groups. Immigrants with the greatest proportion of their population reporting the highest earnings are from the US (40.6 per cent), Sweden (31.8 per cent) and Australia (27 per cent). Those reporting earnings below half-median level were from Bangladesh (63.3 per cent), former Czechoslovakia (47.9 per cent) and China (38.2 per cent).

New migrants to Britain are most likely to come from the Republic of Ireland, which was listed as the birthplace for nearly half a million in 2001, followed by India with 466,416. The research showed that 262,276 were born in Germany. A large proportion are the children of British Army personnel, who were stationed there but have since returned.

American-born people made up 155,030 of the population in 2001. The number who listed their birthplace as Bangladesh was 154,201.

Many American migrants appear to have been attached to US military bases or to have been working in London. There were also high numbers east of Cambridge, not far from the Microsoft Research Laboratory. The report shows that there has been a rapid growth in individuals from non-traditional immigration countries. The number of migrants listing their birthplace as the former Yugoslavia tripled between 1991 and 2001. Those listing Sierra Leone, China, South Africa and Sweden doubled. Numbers of arrivals from the Caribbean declined by more than 12,000.

Nick Pearce, director of the IPPR, said that standard classifications of ethnic minorities were obsolete. “In the last 15 years Britain has become much more diverse. It is now home to communities from every corner of the globe.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said that immigrants contributed to wealth, culture and diversity. She added that the Government had begun a consultation on a points-based system that would admit migrant workers to Britain where it was in the interests of the economy.

David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “While a certain amount of immigration may help the economy, it must be controlled. This is essential so as to not place undue strain on our public services, housing and transport infrastructure or to harm social cohesion.”

THE FOREIGN LEGIONS WHO LIVE IN BRITAIN

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