Immigrants struggling to speak English will lose benefits under Tory plans

London, May 27 : Immigrant workers and foreign-born citizens who struggle to speak English will be denied benefits unless they accept language lessons, under plans unveiled by the Conservatives. The Telegraph quoted Chris Grayling, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, as saying that the employment rate for some ethnic minority groups is below the national average, saying that "serious steps" need to be taken to address the problem.

Speaking English will be an "essential" requirement, with job centres and voluntary groups offering language lessons to those whose prospects are hampered by an inability to communicate.

In his speech "Welfare: The Next Steps", Grayling will tell the Centre for Policy Studies: "The Government's own research has shown that the employment rate for some ethnic minorities is far below the national average, citing language barriers as one of the factors.''

Grayling will also outline his concern that immigrant labour is being used to prop up the economy, for example at the site of the 2012 Olympic site in east London, at the expense of rising unemployment among deprived local communities.

Grayling will also say that a Conservative Government would make it compulsory for all prisoners leaving custody to receive help to find a job if they do not already have one.

ANI