Tories call for health checks on immigrants
The Conservatives have called for all immigrants entering the UK to be screened for infectious diseases.
The shadow health secretary Liam Fox said that the adoption of compulsory screening for immigrants and asylum seekers was essential to prevent diseases such as HIV and Tuberculosis being brought into the country.
In a Conservative Party consultation paper called ‘Before It’s Too Late: A New Agenda for Public Health’ Mr Fox declared that Labour have ‘woefully neglected public health’ and are creating a huge financial liability on the health care services.
The paper proposes following the Australian example and insisting that three tests are met before an individual can be given permission to remain in the UK The Tories believe this would stop immigrants posing a public health risk and ease demand on the health services.
Mr Fox acknowledged that his proposals would be controversial but argued: ‘If issues, such as the testing of those coming from overseas, are not addressed by the political mainstream in a responsible and rational way, then we risk them being hijacked by political extremists with an entirely different and undesirable agenda’.
However the proposals have been condemned as racist and discriminating against those who are ill or disabled.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Evan Harris, called them ‘an unnecessary, extremist, unethical and unworkable policy which will do little to improve public health and much to damage our economy and the fabric of our society’.
