More Than a Third of Babies in England and Wales Born to Foreign Parents

More than a third of births last year in England and Wales were to parents who were born overseas, latest immigration statistics reveal.

The figures show a dramatic rise on the space of a decade, and illustrate the scale of mass immigration into the UK.

The proportion was especially high in London, where more than 80 per cent of babies in some boroughs were born to at least one foreign parent. In Newham 86.4 per cent had at least one parent born overseas, along with 84.7 per cent in Brent, 83.5 per cent in Westminster, and 83.2 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea.

Only three of the capital’s 32 boroughs had fewer than half of births to foreign-born parents.

In the wider country, a total of 230,800 births were to parents who had been born abroad, an increase from 212,500 in 2008. Proportionally, this represents a rise on a quarter to a third of births.

In August, separate figures showed that a record 27.5 per cent on births in England and Wales were to women born overseas over the previous 12 months, the highest proportion since records began nearly 50 years ago.

Alp Mehmet of Migration Watch UK said the figures showed high levels immigration were putting huge pressure on public services.

“Looking ahead, a large proportion of London’s population growth will be down to immigration so it is essential that we bring overall numbers down,” he told The Times.

Alistair Currie of Population Matters said: “Along with one of the EU’s highest birth rates, net migration remains a significant driver of population growth in this country and especially in London.

“Three quarters of a million babies were born in Britain in 2015 and worryingly steep population growth in London and across the country puts the squeeze on our natural resources and public services.”