http://money.aol.co.uk/money-news/uk-economy-boosted-by-immigration/article/20080423192009990009The British economy has been boosted by high levels of immigration over the last 10 years, a new report claims.
Think-tank the Work Foundation said inflation and interest rates have been kept lower as a result of mass migration.
It also suggested that skills and labour shortages had been avoided and the economy had been kept on a "stable growth path".
The organisation called on the Government to lift work restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians - whose nations joined the European Union last year but do not have full rights to move to the UK.
"Even allowing for a more uncertain economic outlook, the Government should embrace the case for free movement across the European Union and enable the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to work in the UK," it said.
The findings contrasted with the results of a six-month House of Lords committee inquiry, published last month, which found no evidence to support the Government's claim that immigration had generated significant economic benefit for Britain.
The peers' inquiry concluded that there has been little or no positive impact on the living standards of the existing population as a result of recent mass immigration, and called for a cap on numbers.
The Work Foundation report said immigration had not led to lower wages or affected unemployment.
In contrast, the Lords found some groups including the low paid, young people seeking jobs and some ethnic minorities, may have suffered because of competition for work from immigrants willing to accept low wages and poor working conditions.
The foundation report recommended that the Government should "devote sustained attention" to ensuring that all employment rights, including the minimum wage, are properly enforced
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