I SAY to myself “just read the letters in The Press and don’t be drawn into responding”. Then I see a letter such as the one from Simon Sweeney on the subject of the contribution of migrants and I can’t resist.

Very few people will disagree that properly managed and controlled immigration is of benefit to the UK. However, this is not what has been happening. We have no idea how many people are in the UK who should not be and we have no knowledge or control over how many more will come.

Nor do we know when they will come or where they will go. This means we cannot prepare for all their needs, be it GPs, hospitals, schools, housing, transport, social security, etc. Properly planned immigration is a benefit, what is happening is definitely not.

The economic argument is not really about benefits. All the needs listed above have to be paid for from the moment people arrive. How long would new arrivals have to work and pay taxes before they even come close to covering their costs?

As regards people born in the UK living in other European countries, Mr Sweeney suggests about half are retired. Does this not mean that they are bringing significant income with them in the form of UK pensions?

Has he looked at the huge imbalance of money claimed from the NHS by other EU countries compared to what the NHS claims from immigrants? Please don’t just repeat the politically correct analysis..

John Reid, Moor Lane, Strensall