<p>According to the Daily Mail, more than half the population want to see numbers coming from abroad to live in Britain reduced by "a lot", the study found.<br /><br />The poll, carried out for the communities department, showed that public demand for reducing immigration is overwhelming and growing.<br />It amounts to a warning to British Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary <br /><br />Theresa May that concerns over immigration -- which played a central role in last year's general election -- have not gone away and are likely to lead to voter frustration if the coalition fails to keep its promises.<br /><br />Ministers have pledged to bring net migration -- the number of people added to the population by migration each year -- down to 1990s levels of under 100,000. In Labour's last year in power, net migration was 215,000.<br /><br />The Communities Department Citizenship Survey -- a research project launched while <br />Tony Blair was prime minister -- attempts to measure "community cohesion", the daily said.<br /><br />Its findings on immigration are notable because the survey was designed to ensure that ethnic minorities and Muslims were "robustly represented" among those consulted.<br /><br />Some 10,000 people were questioned, but pollsters then gauged opinions from a further 5,000 ethnic minority members and 1,200 Muslims before reaching their conclusions.<br /><br />The survey found that 78 percent of the population want to see immigration cut back. A quarter (24 percent) would like to see immigration reduced a little, while 54 percent said they wanted it cut "a lot". Fewer than one in five - 19 percent - said levels should stay the same. Only three people in 100 thought there should be an increase.<br /><br />Andrew Green of the Migrationwatch think-tank said: "These figures are a very clear indication that, despite our economic troubles, immigration remains high among public concerns. The coalition government, and especially its Liberal Democrat members, would do well to remember that."<br /><br />In April, the government will cap numbers of visas for less skilled workers from outside Europe to 21,700 for 2012, a reduction of a fifth. A consultation on how to cut numbers of student visas is under way.<br /></p>
<p>According to the Daily Mail, more than half the population want to see numbers coming from abroad to live in Britain reduced by "a lot", the study found.<br /><br />The poll, carried out for the communities department, showed that public demand for reducing immigration is overwhelming and growing.<br />It amounts to a warning to British Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary <br /><br />Theresa May that concerns over immigration -- which played a central role in last year's general election -- have not gone away and are likely to lead to voter frustration if the coalition fails to keep its promises.<br /><br />Ministers have pledged to bring net migration -- the number of people added to the population by migration each year -- down to 1990s levels of under 100,000. In Labour's last year in power, net migration was 215,000.<br /><br />The Communities Department Citizenship Survey -- a research project launched while <br />Tony Blair was prime minister -- attempts to measure "community cohesion", the daily said.<br /><br />Its findings on immigration are notable because the survey was designed to ensure that ethnic minorities and Muslims were "robustly represented" among those consulted.<br /><br />Some 10,000 people were questioned, but pollsters then gauged opinions from a further 5,000 ethnic minority members and 1,200 Muslims before reaching their conclusions.<br /><br />The survey found that 78 percent of the population want to see immigration cut back. A quarter (24 percent) would like to see immigration reduced a little, while 54 percent said they wanted it cut "a lot". Fewer than one in five - 19 percent - said levels should stay the same. Only three people in 100 thought there should be an increase.<br /><br />Andrew Green of the Migrationwatch think-tank said: "These figures are a very clear indication that, despite our economic troubles, immigration remains high among public concerns. The coalition government, and especially its Liberal Democrat members, would do well to remember that."<br /><br />In April, the government will cap numbers of visas for less skilled workers from outside Europe to 21,700 for 2012, a reduction of a fifth. A consultation on how to cut numbers of student visas is under way.<br /></p>