London: An estimated two million immigrants mostly from non-European Union, Third World and Eastern Europe are expected in Britain every decade as experts called for an open debate on the immigration issue and how to curb it.

Campaign group Migration Watch, UK, in its latest report published on August 5 suggested that net non-EU immigration levels have doubled in less than a decade, swelled by record numbers of asylum seekers and illegal entrants.

"Unless far more effective measures are adopted, we can expect an inflow from outside the EU of two million people per decade for the indefinite future and probably more, depending on what estimate is taken for illegal immigration," Migration Watch, an independent organisation, said.

On the present pattern, 13 per cent of those accepted for settlement will be from Eastern Europe and North America and 87 per cent from the rest of the world. Illegal immigrants will be largely from the Third World and Eastern Europe.

More than two thirds of new migrants are settling in London and the South East.

The report suggests one reason for the growth in legal settlers was the abolition by Labour in 1997 of the so-called "primary purpose rule", which had previously prevented entry to Britain if it was primarily for the purpose of marriage.

The move led to a 50 per cent rise in the number of wives, husbands and finances accepted.

PTI