Madam,

Dr Aubel’s claims about “excessive levels of immigration” seem to lack a few facts and figures.

I know this is a growing trend in some circles, as facts and figures have become redundant in a post-factual society, however it would help us to have the numbers which he no doubts holds of “economic migrants and benefit seekers” putting all that “pressure on our NHS, education and housing”.

I do not deny those pressures on our public services, they are real and very serious indeed.

I do, however, question the causes of those pressures.

The pressure I see on the NHS and education are due to cuts/lack of adequate funding allocated to the Assembly from Westminter, a political choice by the Conservative Government with their austerity programme. That’s a fact.

The lack of adequate housing is caused by the dire number of council houses and flats being built, again a governmental choice, after council accommodation was sold in the Thatcher years without being replaced by new ones. Fact.

British borders are already under British control, as the UK is not in the Shengen area and does impose checks at entry points. Fact.

So Dr Aubel is probably referring to EU citizens who, so far, have the right to travel, study, work (and pay taxes) in the UK. UK citizens having, so far, the same rights if they choose to live elsewhere in the EU.

These must be the “benefit seekers and economic migrants” he refers to. So can we have figures?

Can we also have the list of billionaires who avoid paying taxes in the UK while profiting hugely from doing business in this country? Dare we ask how much they’re squirrelling away in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere?

Those taxes, if recouped, might help build a few houses, pay nurses and doctors, and a few teachers too.

That would take care of some of the pressure, no doubt.

Yours etc,

Marie Thomas (an immigrant), Aberystwyth.

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