THE Home Secretary announced a five-point plan his week to reduce net migration into the UK.

The plan deals with legal migration following latest figures showing net migration -the difference from those entering the country to leaving it - had risen to 745,000 in 2022.

To lower this figure by 300,000, the minimum salary needed for skilled overseas workers has been increased from £26,200 to £38,700.

The government also announced it would ban care workers from other countries bringing family members to the UK. Presently companies can pay workers 20 per cent less for jobs where there is a shortage and this practice will now end. The annual charge foreign workers pay to use the NHS will rise from £624 to £1,035. The minimum income for a family visa will rise to £38,700, from £18,600 next year.

In addition, the Home Secretary was in Rwanda this week to sign an improved treaty allowing the country to be used to process asylum claims. This will tackle illegal migration and help stop the channel boats even further following a 30 per cent reduction in crossing from the same time last year.

The move will allow legislation to be put to parliament this week to greenlight Rwanda as a safe third country. Doing this should end the legal challenges to the plan that has frustrated it despite widespread support from the public for the government to tackle the dangerous crossings of the channel and the millions it makes for organised crime, not to mention the billions we are spending to administer the asylum system that could be spent elsewhere.

It is important the government addresses the Supreme Court's objections to the Rwanda asylum policy and ensures it can work. However, as I have said before, this country does not need to be given lessons about the rule of law or how to treat those in danger from other countries following many centuries of fighting for freedom and being a safe refuge against persecution.

The fact is illegal migrants will think twice about coming to the UK if their claim for asylum will be processed in Rwanda. It is no surprise several other European countries are looking to do the same thing, including Denmark. It wants to move its asylum seekers to a third country too. Italy is to build two asylum processing centres in Albania. The migration crisis is more acute in Europe than here and we should be thankful that post-Brexit we have control of our borders. Many countries are struggling to cope. Migration is a huge problem globally including in the US.

This government is committed to dealing with this issue that is one of the top concerns for people in Stourbridge alongside the cost of living. I will be supporting the legislation.